Books for Condensed Matter Physics

Question

What are some good condensed matter physics books that can fill the gap between Ashcroft & Mermin and research papers? Suggestions for any specialized topics (such as superconductivity, CFT, topological insulators) are welcomed.

This post imported from StackExchange Physics at 2014-03-24 05:11 (UCT), posted by SE-user leongz

Answer 1

To cover that gap you will have to study many-body physics.

Similar level than Ashcroft-Mervin (although modern and complete)

• Solid State Physics, Grosso & Parravicini.

• Condensed Matter in a Nutshell, G. D. Mahan.

Many-Body Physics (General)

• Many-Particle Physics, G. D. Mahan.

A good introduction, it covers lots of topics although notation is a bit old-fashioned. Some chapters are not very good (skip the quantum Hall effect chapter!).

• Quantum Theory of Many-Particle Systems, Fetter & Wallecka.

Very good and cheap, specially if you want to learn Feynman diagrams applied to condensed matter physics problem.

• Methods of Quantum Field Theory in Statistical Physics, Abrikosov.

A russian classic by one of the masters. Also a bit old fashioned and not very easy for beginners but covers all the basics.

• Condensed Matter Field Theory, Atland & Simons.

Already mentioned in the other answer. For a path-integral approach to condensed matter physics.

• Quantum Many-Particle Physics , Negele and Orland.

Very well-written and easy reading. Similar to the first one (Mahan).

Quantum Hall Effects

• Quantum Hall Effects: Field Theorectical Approach and Related Topics, Z. F. Ezawa.

I don't like it very much, very sloppy with notation.

• Composite Fermions, J. K. Jain.

The first chapters are a good overview of quantum Hall effects. Also it is obviously biased towards Jain's theory of composite fermions (as its title reflects!) and so full of hand-waving arguments to try to justify it.

• Perspectives in Quantum Hall Effects,S. Das Sarma and A. Pinczuk (eds.).

Not easy to find, I like it though because it covers all the experimental stuff you need to know.

This post imported from StackExchange Physics at 2014-03-24 05:11 (UCT), posted by SE-user DaniH

Answer 2

http://www.amazon.com/Condensed-Matter-Theory-Alexander-Altland/dp/0521769752/ref=pd_sim_b_3 Has a lot of example systems to be explored.

Classic book on superconductivity http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Superconductivity-Second-Dover-Physics/dp/0486435032/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1331176528&sr=1-1

enjoy =)

This post imported from StackExchange Physics at 2014-03-24 05:11 (UCT), posted by SE-user pcr

Answer 3

• Quantum Phase Transitions
• Advanced Solid State Physics
• Advanced Condensed Matter Physics

This post imported from StackExchange Physics at 2014-03-24 05:11 (UCT), posted by SE-user Vijay Murthy

Answer 4

General Condensed Matter

• Marder, Condensed Matter Physics

In some areas a successor to Ashcroft & Mermin

Condensed matter at low temperatures

• Pobell, Matter and Methods at Low Temperatures

• Enss, Low-Temperature Physics

Magnetism

• Blundell, Magnetism in Condensed Matter

• Coey, Magnetism and Magnetic Materials

This post imported from StackExchange Physics at 2014-03-24 05:11 (UCT), posted by SE-user Alexander

Comments

I recently discovered Marder and must say it's marvelous. I hope it will someday replace Ashcroft & Mermin in standard condensed matter education.

This post imported from StackExchange Physics at 2014-03-24 05:11 (UCT), posted by SE-user Lagerbaer