Thermodynamics of Crystalline States

Thermodynamics is a well-established discipline of physics for properties of matter in thermal equilibrium with the surroundings. Applying to crystals, however, the laws encounter undefined properties of crystal lattice, which therefore need to be determined for a clear and well-defined description of crystalline states. Thermodynamics of Crystalline States explores the roles played by order variables and dynamic lattices in crystals in a wholly new way. The book begins by clarifying basic concepts for stable crystals. Next, binary phase transitions are discussed to study collective motion of order variables, as described mostly as classical phenomena. New to this edition is the examination of magnetic crystals, where magnetic symmetry is essential for magnetic phase transitions. The multi-electron system is also discussed theoretically, as a quantum-mechanical example, for superconductivity in metallic crystals. Throughout the book, the role played by the lattice is emphasized and studied in-depth. Thermodynamics of Crystalline States is an introductory treatise and textbook on mesoscopic phenomena in solid states, constituting a basic subject in condensed matter physics. While this book serves as a guide for advanced students in physics and material science, it can also be useful as a reference for all professionals in related fields. Minoru Fujimoto is author of Physics of Classical Electromagnetism (Springer, 2007) and The Physics of Structural Phase Transitions (Springer, 2005).

Thermodynamics is an established discipline of physics for properties of matter in thermal equilibrium surroundings. Applying to crystals, however, the laws encounter undefined properties of crystal lattices, which therefore need to be determined for a legitimate description of crystalline states. Intended for readers with prior knowledge of condensed matter physics, this book emphasizes the roles played by order variables and dynamic lattices in crystals for thermodynamics of crystalline states. The crystalline state is generally heterogeneous, where order variables are in collective motion interacting with the lattice at excited levels, as witnessed in transition anomalies in dielectric crystals and from superconducting transitions in metals. The collective motion exhibits finite amplitude due to long-range order, breaking lattice symmetry that leads to a structural change. Such a non-linear process is discussed in the chapter of soliton theory, and related experimental evidences are also listed in this book. This book is divided into three parts for the convenience of readers. In Part I, basic concepts of phonons and order variables are reviewed. Part 2 is devoted to discussions of binary transitions, and in Part 3 we discuss superconducting transitions in simple metals.