This book introduces readers to state-of-the-art theoretical and simulation techniques for determining transport in complex band structure materials and nanostructured-geometry materials, linking the techniques developed by the electronic transport community to the materials science community. Starting from the semi-classical Boltzmann Transport Equation method for complex band structure materials, then moving on to Monte Carlo and fully quantum mechanical models for nanostructured materials, the book addresses the theory and computational complexities of each method, as well as their advantages and capabilities. Presented in language that is accessible to junior computational scientists, while including enough detail and depth with regards to numerical implementation to tackle modern research problems, it offers a valuable resource for computational scientists and postgraduate researchers whose work involves the theory and simulation of electro-thermal transport in advanced materials.

This book introduces readers to state-of-the-art theoretical and simulation techniques for determining transport in complex band structure materials and nanostructured-geometry materials, linking the techniques developed by the electronic transport community to the materials science community. Starting from the semi-classical Boltzmann Transport Equation method for complex band structure materials, then moving on to Monte Carlo and fully quantum mechanical models for nanostructured materials, the book addresses the theory and computational complexities of each method, as well as their advantages and capabilities. Presented in language that is accessible to junior computational scientists, while including enough detail and depth with regards to numerical implementation to tackle modern research problems, it offers a valuable resource for computational scientists and postgraduate researchers whose work involves the theory and simulation of electro-thermal transport in advanced materials.

Piezoelectric and thermoelectric materials represent emerging cutting-edge technological materials for energy harvesting for high-value-added applications. Although these materials have been exhaustively exploited for decades, researchers around the world continue to find technological and scientific innovations that must be disseminated to the engineers of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Piezoelectric materials, through mechanical stresses applied to them, are capable of generating electricity, while thermoelectric materials are capable of producing electricity thanks to the heat applied to them. Therefore, the direct application of these materials is in energy harvesting, which, together with the reduction of materials, leads them to portable and wearable functional applications. The purpose of this work is to disseminate some of the latest scientific and technological advances by different researchers around the world in the development of devices and applications based on these materials. The book compiles state-of-the-art fundamentals, current uses, as well as emerging applications of piezoelectric and thermoelectric materials. It is a source of inspiration for continued scientific research on the commercial, industrial, and military applications of these materials. Furthermore, it is a valuable and informative resource for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as experts and researchers in the field.

This book will provide readers with deep insight into the intriguing science of thermoelectric thin films. It serves as a fundamental information source on the techniques and methodologies involved in thermoelectric thin film growth, characterization and device processing. This book involves widespread contributions on several categories of thermoelectric thin films: oxides, chalcogenides, iodates, nitrides and polymers. This will serve as an invaluable resource for experts to consolidate their knowledge and will provide insight and inspiration to beginners wishing to learn about thermoelectric thin films. Provides a single-source reference on a wide spectrum of topics related to thermoelectric thin films, from organic chemistry to devices, from physical chemistry to applied physics, from synthesis to device implementation; Covers several categories of thermoelectric thin films based on different material approaches such as oxides, chalcogenides, iodates, nitrides and polymers; Discusses synthesis, characterization, and device processing of thermoelectric thin films, as well as the nanoengineering approach to tailor the properties of the used materials at the nanoscale level.

Mesoscopic physics deals with systems larger than single atoms but small enough to retain their quantum properties. The possibility to create and manipulate conductors of the nanometer scale has given birth to a set of phenomena that have revolutionized physics: quantum Hall effects, persistent currents, weak localization, Coulomb blockade, etc. This Special Issue tackles the latest developments in the field. Contributors discuss time-dependent transport, quantum pumping, nanoscale heat engines and motors, molecular junctions, electron–electron correlations in confined systems, quantum thermo-electrics and current fluctuations. The works included herein represent an up-to-date account of exciting research with a broad impact in both fundamental and applied topics.

There have been few books devoted to the study of phonons, a major area of condensed matter physics. The Physics of Phonons is a comprehensive theoretical discussion of the most important topics, including some topics not previously presented in book form. Although primarily theoretical in approach, the author refers to experimental results wherever possible, ensuring an ideal book for both experimental and theoretical researchers. The author begins with an introduction to crystal symmetry and continues with a discussion of lattice dynamics in the harmonic approximation, including the traditional phenomenological approach and the more recent ab initio approach, detailed for the first time in this book. A discussion of anharmonicity is followed by the theory of lattice thermal conductivity, presented at a level far beyond that available in any other book. The chapter on phonon interactions is likewise more comprehensive than any similar discussion elsewhere. The sections on phonons in superlattices, impure and mixed crystals, quasicrystals, phonon spectroscopy, Kapitza resistance, and quantum evaporation also contain material appearing in book form for the first time. The book is complemented by numerous diagrams that aid understanding and is comprehensively referenced for further study. With its unprecedented wide coverage of the field, The Physics of Phonons will be indispensable to all postgraduates, advanced undergraduates, and researchers working on condensed matter physics.