Résumé
Presents an original approach to the electronic structure of solids and outlines the strong ties between molecules and solids Illustrates different concepts and main ideas with reference to real materials Provides useful learning tool for students with different backgrounds (physics, chemistry, materials science) Will appeal to both students and researchers willing to understand results of quantitative calculations or to rationalize experimental observations in solid state and materials science Richly illustrated, with ample tutorial material Solutions to the exercises provided This book provides an intuitive yet sound understanding of how structure and properties of solids may be related. The natural link is provided by the band theory approach to the electronic structure of solids. The chemically insightful concept of orbital interaction and the essential machinery of band theory are used throughout the book to build links between the crystal and electronic structure of periodic systems. In such a way, it is shown how important tools for understanding properties of solids like the density of states, the Fermi surface etc. can be qualitatively sketched and used to either understand the results of quantitative calculations or to rationalize experimental observations. Extensive use of the orbital interaction approach appears to be a very efficient way of building bridges between physically and chemically based notions to understand the structure and properties of solids.
Readership: Final year undergraduates, graduates and university teachers in chemistry, physics and materials science. Materials science researchers, as well as chemists and physicists working in materials science and related areas.