Customer Reviews

Theoretical Solid State Physics, Volume 1: Perfect Lattices in Equilibrium (Dover Books on Physics)

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This is a very useful reference book: very basic and in the same time very broad in scope. At least it is a good starting point for a deeper inquiry in many areas. It is good as well for clearifying simple points when you already have an extensive knowledge of a subject: a good fraction of research paper published nowadays are based on models whose origins are apparently unknown to the authors; Jones&March help to sort out many of such papers as hardly correct.
Of course, you should buy both volumes.

This is the first part of a two volume treatment of solid state physics. The presentation is very clear and to the point as the authors does not shy away from introducing right mathematical tools with tasteful introduction whenever needed. For instance it is the only book of this sort(to my knowledge) which discusses the classification of the critical points of electronic density of states in the context of Morse theory(The pertinent parts obviously).

The only thing that it lacks is a solid discussion of crystallographic space groups and symmetry. Given it`s age there is no discussion of quantum heterostructures(quantum dots, wires etc.) and mesoscopic transport phenomena(this would have belonged to the second volume) either. Other than that it is a very complete treatment.

Yet another aspect of the is the fact that not each and every single step in the calculations is filled by the authors. But then, at some point you have to compromise that to delineate the physical picture at a deeper level so it is by no means a weak point.