The many-body-theoretical basis and applications of theoretical spectroscopy of condensed matter, e.g. crystals, nanosystems, and molecules are unified in one advanced text for readers from graduate students to active researchers in the field. The theory is developed from first principles including fully the electron-electron interaction and spin interactions. It is based on the many-body perturbation theory, a quantum-field-theoretical description, and Green's functions. The important expressions for ground states as well as electronic single-particle and pair excitations are explained. Based on single-particle and two-particle Green's functions, the Dyson and Bethe-Salpeter equations are derived. They are applied to calculate spectral and response functions. Important spectra are those which can be measured using photoemission/inverse photoemission, optical spectroscopy, and electron energy loss/inelastic X-ray spectroscopy. Important approximations are derived and discussed in the light of selected computational and experimental results. Some numerical implementations available in well-known computer codes are critically discussed. The book is divided into four parts: (i) In the first part the many-electron systems are described in the framework of the quantum-field theory. The electron spin and the spin-orbit interaction are taken into account. Sum rules are derived. (ii) The second part is mainly related to the ground state of electronic systems. The total energy is treated within the density functional theory. The most important approximations for exchange and correlation are delighted. (iii) The third part is essentially devoted to the description of charged electronic excitations such as electrons and holes. Central approximations as Hedin's GW and the T-matrix approximation are discussed.(iv) The fourth part is focused on response functions measured in optical and loss spectroscopies and neutral pair or collective excitations.

Recent progress in the theory and computation of electronic structure is bringing an unprecedented level of capability for research. Many-body methods are becoming essential tools vital for quantitative calculations and understanding materials phenomena in physics, chemistry, materials science and other fields. This book provides a unified exposition of the most-used tools: many-body perturbation theory, dynamical mean field theory and quantum Monte Carlo simulations. Each topic is introduced with a less technical overview for a broad readership, followed by in-depth descriptions and mathematical formulation. Practical guidelines, illustrations and exercises are chosen to enable readers to appreciate the complementary approaches, their relationships, and the advantages and disadvantages of each method. This book is designed for graduate students and researchers who want to use and understand these advanced computational tools, get a broad overview, and acquire a basis for participating in new developments.

Nanomaterials are mainly categorized into three groups: fundamental building blocks, dispersions or composites of building blocks in randomly ordered matrices, and spatially resolved, ordered nanostructures. Today, nanomaterials that offer some unique optical properties may find application as pure materials or may be integrated into larger structures. This book presents examples of both pure and composite materials that include organic–inorganic nanocomposites and quantum dots embedded into different matrices for various applications in modern nanotechnology. This edition has been thoroughly revised and updated with the most recent developments in the field. The newly added introductory paragraphs will help students and young researchers in better understanding the chapters. The new sections on frequently used physical constants and units conversions as well as the updated bibliography add to the book’s utility. This textbook is unique compared with its counterparts in the market in respect of its scope as it contains introductory sections to the important topics on nanomaterial optics. This feature broadens its readership from engineers and researchers working in the field of materials science and optics, to lecturers, graduate students, and beginners who want to deepen their knowledge in nanomaterial optics.

The knowledge about crystal structure and its correlation with physical properties is the prerequisite for designing new materials with taylored properties. This work provides for researchers and graduates a valuable resource on various techniques for crystal structure determinations. By discussing a broad range of different materials and tools the authors enable the understanding of why a material might be suitable for a particular application.

This book sets out modern methods of computing properties of materials, including essential theoretical background, computational approaches, practical guidelines and instructive applications.

The series Topics in Current Chemistry presents critical reviews of the present and future trends in modern chemical research. The scope of coverage is all areas of chemical science including the interfaces with related disciplines such as biology, medicine and materials science. The goal of each thematic volume is to give the non-specialist reader, whether in academia or industry, a comprehensive insight into an area where new research is emerging which is of interest to a larger scientific audience. Each review within the volume critically surveys one aspect of that topic and places it within the context of the volume as a whole. The most significant developments of the last 5 to 10 years are presented using selected examples to illustrate the principles discussed. The coverage is not intended to be an exhaustive summary of the field or include large quantities of data, but should rather be conceptual, concentrating on the methodological thinking that will allow the non-specialist reader to understand the information presented. Contributions also offer an outlook on potential future developments in the field. Review articles for the individual volumes are invited by the volume editors. Readership: research chemists at universities or in industry, graduate students.