Statistical Mechanics of Phase Transitions (Oxford Science Publications)

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Number Of Pages: 168
Publication Date: 1992-06-11
Sales Rank: 969260
ISBN / ASIN: 0198517300
EAN: 9780198517306
Binding: Paperback
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
Studio: Oxford University Press, USA
Average Rating: 4

Recent developments have led to a good understanding of universality; why phase transitions in systems as diverse as magnets, fluids, liquid crystals, and superconductors can be brought under the same theoretical umbrella and well described by simple models. This book describes the physics underlying universality and then lays out the theoretical approaches now available for studying phase transitions. Traditional techniques, mean-field theory, series expansions, and the transfer matrix, are described; the Monte Carlo method is covered, and two chapters are devoted to the renormalization group, which led to a break-through in the field. The book will be useful as a textbook for a course in `Phase Transitions', as an introduction for graduate students undertaking research in related fields, and as an overview for scientists in other disciplines who work with phase transitions but who are not aware of the current tools in the armoury of the theoretical physicist.

Review:

An incentive for deeper studies on phase transitions

I would not say that this is a 'serious' treatise on phase transitions but it will be great if you just want to have an overlook on the subject. You will get a glance on mean field theory, correlation fonctions, transfer matrices and even the renormalization group theory for less thant 150 pages before you could decide to study statistical field theory, which you probably will want to do if you read this book.