Summaries in French, German, and Russian.

Filling a gap in the literature, this crucial publication on the renowned Lifshitz-Slezov-Wagner Theory of first-order phase transitions is authored by one of the scientists who gave it its name. Prof Slezov spent decades analyzing this topic and obtained a number of results that form the cornerstone of this rapidly developing branch of science. Following an analysis of unresolved problems together with proposed solutions, the book develops a theoretical description of the overall course of first-order phase transformations, starting from the nucleation state right up to the late stages of coarsening. In so doing, the author illustrates the results by way of numerical computations and experimental applications. The outline of the general results is performed for segregation processes in solutions and the results used in the analysis of a variety of different topics, such as phase formation in multi-component solutions, boiling in one- and multi-component liquids, vacancy cluster evolution in solids with and without influence of radiation, as well as phase separation in helium at low temperatures. The result is a detailed overview of the theoretical description of the whole course of nucleation-growth processes and applications for a wide audience of scientists and students.

Boltzmann''s formula S = In[ W (E) ] defines the microcanonical ensemble. The usual textbooks on statistical mechanics start with the microensemble but rather quickly switch to the canonical ensemble introduced by Gibbs. This has the main advantage of easier analytical calculations, but there is a price to pay OCo for example, phase transitions can only be defined in the thermodynamic limit of infinite system size. The question how phase transitions show up from systems with, say, 100 particles with an increasing number towards the bulk can only be answered when one finds a way to define and classify phase transitions in small systems. This is all possible within Boltzmann''s original definition of the microcanonical ensemble. Starting from Boltzmann''s formula, the book formulates the microcanonical thermodynamics entirely within the frame of mechanics. This way the thermodynamic limit is avoided and the formalism applies to small as well to other nonextensive systems like gravitational ones. Phase transitions of first order, continuous transitions, critical lines and multicritical points can be unambiguously defined by the curvature of the entropy S(E, N) . Special attention is given to the fragmentation of nuclei and atomic clusters as a peculiar phase transition of small systems controlled, among others, by angular momentum. The dependence of the liquid-gas transition of small atomic clusters under prescribed pressure is treated. Thus the analogue to the bulk transition can be studied. The book also describes the microcanonical statistics of the collapse of a self-gravitating system under large angular momentum. Contents: The Mechanical Basis of Thermodynamics; Micro-Canonical Thermodynamics of Phase Transitions Studied in the Potts Model; Liquid-Gas Transition and Surface Tension Under Constant Pressure; Statistical Fragmentation Under Repulsive Forces of Long Range; The Collapse Transition in Self-Gravitating Systems First Model-Studies; Appendices: On the Historical Development of Statistical Nuclear Multifragmentation Models; The Micro-Canonical Ensemble of Na-Clusters; Some General Technical Aspects of Micro-Canonical Monte Carlo Simulation on a Lattice. Readership: Advanced level graduate students, lecturers and researchers in statistical and condensed matter physics."

Based on lectures given by one of the authors with many years of experience in teaching stochastic processes, this textbook is unique in combining basic mathematical and physical theory with numerous simple and sophisticated examples as well as detailed calculations. In addition, applications from different fields are included so as to strengthen the background learned in the first part of the book. With its exercises at the end of each chapter (and solutions only available to lecturers) this book will benefit students and researchers at different educational levels. Solutions manual available for lecturers on www.wiley-vch.de