Ebook: Physics of Structurally Disordered Solids

Structurally disordered solids are characterized by their lack of spatial order that is evidenced by the great variety of ordered solids. The former class of materials is commonly termed amorphous or glassy, the latter crystalline. However, both classes share, many of the other physical properties of solids, e. g. , me­ chanical stability, resistance to shear stress, etc. The traditional macroscopic distinction between the crystalline and the glassy states is that while the former has a fixed melting point, the latter does not. However, with the availability and production of a large number of materials in both crystalline and amorphous states, and their easy inter-convertability, simple de­ finitions are not possible or at best imprecise. For the present purpose, it is sufficient to say that in contrast to the crystalline state, in which the posi­ tions of atoms are fixed into adefinite structure, ex­ cept for small thermal vibrations, the amorphous state of the same material displays varying degrees of de­ parture from this fixed structure. The amorphous state almost always shows no long range order. Short range order, up to several neighbors, may often be retained, although averaged considerably around their crystalline values. It is generally believed that the amorphous state is a metastable one with respect to the crystal­ line ordered state, and the conversion to the crystal­ line state may or may not be easy depending on the na­ ture of the material, e. g.

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Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xi
Formation and Transformation Behavior of Amorphous Solids....Pages 1-5
On the Structure Analysis of Amorphous Materials....Pages 7-30
On the Structure of Amorphous Films....Pages 31-43
Structural Modelling of Disordered Semiconductors....Pages 45-91
Some Theorems Relating to the Structure of Amorphous Solids....Pages 93-100
Polymorphs....Pages 101-109
Optical Properties of Tetrahedrally Bonded Amorphous Semiconductors: Absorption Spectra and Absorption Edge....Pages 111-169
Photoluminescence....Pages 171-197
Introduction to Photoemission....Pages 199-209
Photoemission of Disordered Elemental Semiconductors....Pages 211-290
Mathematical Methods for Calculating the Electron Spectrum....Pages 291-349
Some Theorems Relating to Densities of States....Pages 351-367
Theory of Optical Absorption of Disordered Solids....Pages 369-384
Comments on the Theory of Localized States in Semi-Conducting Noncrystalline Solids....Pages 385-410
Transport Properties of Amorphous Semiconductors....Pages 411-460
Electrical Transport in Semiconducting Noncrystalline Solids....Pages 461-506
Inelastic Coherent Neutron Scattering in Amorphous Solids....Pages 507-524
Infrared and Raman Spectroscopy of Amorphous Semiconductors....Pages 525-540
Dynamics of Structurally Disordered Solids....Pages 541-622
Phonons in Amorphous Solids....Pages 623-663
Local Order and Low Frequency Modes in Amorphous Solids: Magnetic Resonance Techniques....Pages 665-701
Bonding in Non-Tetrahedrally Coordinated Amorphous Solids....Pages 703-737
Light Scattering in Liquid Semiconductors....Pages 739-768
Back Matter....Pages 769-791

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Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xi
Formation and Transformation Behavior of Amorphous Solids....Pages 1-5
On the Structure Analysis of Amorphous Materials....Pages 7-30
On the Structure of Amorphous Films....Pages 31-43
Structural Modelling of Disordered Semiconductors....Pages 45-91
Some Theorems Relating to the Structure of Amorphous Solids....Pages 93-100
Polymorphs....Pages 101-109
Optical Properties of Tetrahedrally Bonded Amorphous Semiconductors: Absorption Spectra and Absorption Edge....Pages 111-169
Photoluminescence....Pages 171-197
Introduction to Photoemission....Pages 199-209
Photoemission of Disordered Elemental Semiconductors....Pages 211-290
Mathematical Methods for Calculating the Electron Spectrum....Pages 291-349
Some Theorems Relating to Densities of States....Pages 351-367
Theory of Optical Absorption of Disordered Solids....Pages 369-384
Comments on the Theory of Localized States in Semi-Conducting Noncrystalline Solids....Pages 385-410
Transport Properties of Amorphous Semiconductors....Pages 411-460
Electrical Transport in Semiconducting Noncrystalline Solids....Pages 461-506
Inelastic Coherent Neutron Scattering in Amorphous Solids....Pages 507-524
Infrared and Raman Spectroscopy of Amorphous Semiconductors....Pages 525-540
Dynamics of Structurally Disordered Solids....Pages 541-622
Phonons in Amorphous Solids....Pages 623-663
Local Order and Low Frequency Modes in Amorphous Solids: Magnetic Resonance Techniques....Pages 665-701
Bonding in Non-Tetrahedrally Coordinated Amorphous Solids....Pages 703-737
Light Scattering in Liquid Semiconductors....Pages 739-768
Back Matter....Pages 769-791
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