Although the problem of a metal in one dimension has long been known to solid-state physicists, it was not until the synthesis of real one-dimensional or quasi-one-dimensional systems that this subject began to attract considerable attention. This has been due in part to the search for high temperature superconductivity and the possibility of reaching this goal with quasi-one-dimensional substances. A period of intense activity began in 1973 with the report of a measurement of an apparently divergent conduc tivity peak in TfF-TCNQ. Since then a great deal has been learned about quasi-one-dimensional conductors. The emphasis now has shifted from trying to find materials of very high conductivity to the many interesting problems of physics and chemistry involved. But many questions remain open and are still under active investigation. This book gives a review of the experimental as well as theoretical progress made in this field over the last years. All the chapters have been written by scientists who have established themselves as experts in theoreti cal and experimental solid-state physics. The book is intended to be of use both to students and researchers entering the field as well as to more advanced physicists. The wealth of ideas and information it contains ought to be useful to anyone interested in quasi-one-dimensional systems, organic solids, or the search for novel conduction and superconduction mechanisms. The editors are very grateful to the authors for their collaboration in this book.

This book deals with three related areas having both fundamental and technological interest. In the first part, the objective is to provide a bird's eye view on structure in polymeric solids. This is then complemented by a chapter, directly technological in its emphasis, dealing with the influence of processing on polymeric materials. In spite of the technological interest, this leads to some of the current fundamental theory. Part II, concerned with liquid crystals, starts with a discussion of the physics of the various types of material, and concludes with a treatment of optical applications. Again, aspects of the theory are stressed though this part is basically phenomenological in character. In Part III, an account is given first of the use of chemical-bonding arguments in understanding the electronic structure of low-dimensional solids, followed by a comprehensive treatment of the influence of dimen sionality on phase transitions. A brief summary of dielectric screening in low-dimensional solids follows. Space-charge layers are then treated, including semiconductor inversion layers. Effects of limited dimensionality on superconductivity are also emphasized. Part IV concludes the volume with two specialized topics: electronic structure of biopolymers, and topological defects and disordered systems. The Editors wish to acknowledge that this book had its origins in the material presented at a course organized by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste.

Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute, Tomar, Portugal, August 26-September 7, 1979

The history of low dimensional conductors goes back to the prediction, more than forty years ago, by Peierls, of the instability of a one dimensional metallic chain, leading to what is known now as the charge density wave state. At the same time, Frohlich suggested that an "ideal" conductivity could be associated to the sliding of this charge density wave. Since then, several classes of compounds, including layered transition metal dichalcogenides, quasi one-dimensional organic conduc tors and transition metal tri- and tretrachalcogenides have been extensively studied. The molybdenum bronzes or oxides have been discovered or rediscovered as low dimensional conductors in this last decade. A considerable amount of work has now been performed on this subject and it was time to collect some review papers in a single book. Although this book is focused on the molybdenum bronzes and oxides, it has a far more general interest in the field of low dimensional conductors, since several of the molybdenum compounds provide, from our point of view, model systems. This is the case for the quasi one-dimensional blue bronze, especially due to the availability of good quality large single crystals. This book is intended for scientists belonging to the fields of solid state physics and chemistry as well as materials science. It should especially be useful to many graduate students involved in low dimensional oxides. It has been written by recognized specialists of low dimensional systems.

This volume deals with physical properties of electrically one-dimensional conductors. It includes both a description of basic concepts and a review of recent progress in research. One-dimensional conductors are those materials in which an electric current flows easily in one specific crystal direction while the resistivity is very high in transverse directions. It was about 1973 when much attention began to be focussed on them and investigations started in earnest. The research was stimulated by the successful growth of crystals of the organic conductor TTF-TCNQ and of the inorganic conductor KCP. New concepts, characteristic of one dimension, were established in the in vestigations of their properties. Many new one-dimensional conductors were also found and synthesized. This field of research is attractive because of the discovery of new ma terials, phenomena and concepts which have only recently found a place in the framework of traditional solid-state physics and materials science. The relation of this topic to the wider field of solid-state sciences is therefore still uncertain. This situation is clearly reflected in the wide distribution of the fields of specialization of researchers. Due to this, and also to the rapid progress of research, no introductory book has been available which covers most of the important fields of research on one-dimensional conductors.

Low-dimensional solids are of fundamental interest in materials science due to their anisotropic properties. Written not only for experts in the field, this book explains the important concepts behind their physics and surveys the most interesting one-dimensional systems and discusses their present and emerging applications in molecular scale electronics. The second edition of this successful book has been completely revised to include the remarkable achievements of the last ten years of research and applications. Chemists, polymer and materials scientists as well as students will find this book a very readable introduction to the solid-state physics of electronic materials.