First published 1999 by Gordon and Breach Science Publishers
Published 2018 by CRC Press
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1999 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
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ISBN 13: 978-90-5699-185-2 (pbk)
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We wish to dedicate this book to the teachers who first introduced us
to the fascination of quantum physics,
Prof. Viorica Florescu at the University of Bucharest, and
Prof. Norman March at the University of Sheffield.
M. S. R.
S. B. P.
CONTENTS
Quantum Physics is now over 70 years old and is covered by an array of fine textbooks, however there will always be a need for a new treatment, particularly for advanced students entering the field and for new researchers. Many students find difficulty in mastering the subject matter and often lack confidence in applying the well established principles of quantum physics to real problems. A particular limitation is the need on many occasions to search through many of the available books to find material of relevance to their needs.
The present book is written by two experimental condensed matter physicists and may therefore miss some of the subtle nuances that a theorist would value. However, students in the second half of a degree course may welcome our more pragmatic approach. We will assume that such students have already taken some elementary level courses in classical mechanics, electromagnetism and calculus, and have some familiarity with the ideas of modern physics. After a preliminary review of the origins of quantum physics, we present a gradual development of the quantum formalism, in a way that is different from most previous approaches. The first few chapters describe the basic postulates concerning wave functions, operators, measurement and temporal evolution. A concise and rather rigorous treatment is then applied to the fairly standard topics of one-dimensional and atomic motion, angular momentum and approximation theory. The postulates and special methods, which are always introduced in association with the appropriate mathematical tools, are used to derive the basic laws and their main consequences. The last three chapters, which are concerned with many-particle systems, atomic and nuclear radiation, are rather condensed, but treated in sufficient depth to make the book a useful reference for students studying atomic and nuclear physics courses. Aspects of present-day research are included throughout and designed to encourage the student of experimental physics, engineering and materials science to make this textbook a realistic introduction to more advanced or specialized texts.
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