Understanding the electronic structure of solids is a basic part of theoretical investigation in physics. Application of investigative techniques requires the solid under investigation to be "periodic." However, this is not always the case. This volume addresses three classes of "non-periodic" solids currently undergoing the most study: alloys, surfaces and clusters. Understanding the electronic structure of these systems is fundamental not only for the basic science, but also constitutes a very important step in various technological aspects, such as tuning their stabilities, chemical and catalytic reactivities and magnetism. Expert practitioners give an up-to-date account of the field with enough detailed background so that even a newcomer can follow the development. The theoretical framework is discussed in addition to the present status of knowledge in the field. Electronic Structure of Alloys, Surfaces and Clusters also includes an extensive bibliography which provides a comprehensive reading list of work on the topic.

At present, there is an increasing interest in the prediction of properties of classical and new materials such as substitutional alloys, their surfaces, and metallic or semiconductor multilayers. A detailed understanding based on a thus of the utmost importance for fu microscopic, parameter-free approach is ture developments in solid state physics and materials science. The interrela tion between electronic and structural properties at surfaces plays a key role for a microscopic understanding of phenomena as diverse as catalysis, corrosion, chemisorption and crystal growth. Remarkable progress has been made in the past 10-15 years in the understand ing of behavior of ideal crystals and their surfaces by relating their properties to the underlying electronic structure as determined from the first principles. Similar studies of complex systems like imperfect surfaces, interfaces, and mul tilayered structures seem to be accessible by now. Conventional band-structure methods, however, are of limited use because they require an excessive number of atoms per elementary cell, and are not able to account fully for e.g. substitu tional disorder and the true semiinfinite geometry of surfaces. Such problems can be solved more appropriately by Green function techniques and multiple scattering formalism.

Most textbooks in the field are either too advanced for students or don't adequately cover current research topics. Bridging this gap, Electronic Structure of Materials helps advanced undergraduate and graduate students understand electronic structure methods and enables them to use these techniques in their work.Developed from the author's lecture

Atomic clusters are aggregates of atoms containing a few to several thousand atoms. Due to the small size of these pieces of matter, the properties of atomic clusters in general are different from those of the corresponding material in the macroscopic bulk phase. This monograph presents the main developments of atomic clusters and the current status of the field. The book treats different types of clusters with very different properties: clusters in which the atoms or molecules are tied by weak van der Waals interactions, metallic clusters, clusters of ionic materials, and network clusters made of typical covalent elements. It includes methods of experimental cluster synthesis as well as the structural, electronic, thermodynamic and magnetic properties of clusters, covering both experiments and the theoretical work that has led to our present understanding of the different properties of clusters. The question of assembling nanoclusters to form solids with new properties is also considered. Having an adequate knowledge of the properties of clusters can be of great help to any scientist working with objects of nanometric size. On the other hand, nanoclusters are themselves potentially important in fields like catalysis and nanomedicine.

Atomic clusters are aggregates of atoms containing a few to several thousand atoms. Due to the small size of these pieces of matter, the properties of atomic clusters in general are different from those of the corresponding material in the macroscopic bulk phase. This monograph presents the main developments of atomic clusters and the current status of the field. The book treats different types of clusters with very different properties: clusters in which the atoms or molecules are tied by weak van der Waals interactions, metallic clusters, clusters of ionic materials, and network clusters made of typical covalent elements. It includes methods of experimental cluster synthesis as well as the structural, electronic, thermodynamic and magnetic properties of clusters, covering both experiments and the theoretical work that has led to our present understanding of the different properties of clusters. The question of assembling nanoclusters to form solids with new properties is also considered.Having an adequate knowledge of the properties of clusters can be of great help to any scientist working with objects of nanometric size. On the other hand, nanoclusters are themselves potentially important in fields like catalysis and nanomedicine./a

It is widely recognized that an understanding of the physical and chemical properties of clusters will give a great deal of important information relevant to surface and bulk properties of condensed matter. This relevance of clusters for condensed matter is one of the major motivations for the study of atomic and molecular clusters. The changes of properties with cluster size, from small clusters containing only a few atoms to large clusters containing tens of thousands of atoms, provides a unique way to understand and to control the development of bulk properties as separated units are brought together to form an extended system. Another important use of clusters is as theoretical models of surfaces and bulk materials. The electronic wavefunctions for these cluster models have special advantages for understanding, in particular, the local properties of condensed matter. The cluster wavefunctions, obtained with molecular orbital theory, make it possible to relate chemical concepts developed to describe chemical bonds in molecules to the very closely related chemical bonding at the surface and in the bulk of condensed matter. The applications of clusters to phenomena in condensed matter is a cross-disciplinary activity which requires the interaction and collaboration of researchers in traditionally separate areas. For example, it is necessary to bring together workers whose background and expertise is molecular chemistry with those whose background is solid state physics. It is also necessary to bring together experimentalists and theoreticians.

A Quantum Approach to Alloy Design: An Exploration of Material Design and Development Based Upon Alloy Design Theory and Atomization Energy Method presents a molecular orbital approach to alloy design that is based on electronic structure calculations using the DV-X alpha cluster method and new alloying parameters obtained from these calculations. Topics discussed include alloy properties, such as corrosion resistance, shape memory effect and super-elasticity that are treated by using alloying parameters in biomedical titanium alloys. This book covers various topics of not only metals and alloys, but also metal oxides, hydrides and even hydrocarbons. In addition, important alloy properties, such as strength, corrosion resistance, hydrogen storage and catalysis are treated in view of electron theory. - Presents alloy design theory and the atomization-energy method and its use for the fundamental understanding of materials and materials design and development - Discusses, for the first time, the atomization-energy analysis of the local lattice strains introduced around alloying elements in metals - Illustrates a simplified approach to predict the structure and phases stability of new alloys/materials

It is now some 15 years since atomic clusters were first produced and investigated in laboratories. Since then, knowledge concerning clusters has enjoyed rapid and sustained growth, and cluster research has become a new branch of science.