Electronic Processes in Materials

In writing this book, the authors have been motivated by the growing
interest in a unified approach to material science. Since the properties of
materials are chiefly determined by their atomic composition and the nature
of the atomic aggregation, it is reasonable to say that they are controlled
by the crystal structure in crystalline materials. The interplay of structure
and properties, however, can be expressed in essentially two ways.
One is to relate the structural features to the observed properties in a
phenomenological way. The other is to make use of mathematical
theories developed mainly with the aid of statistical mechanics and
quantum mechanics to describe the behavior of materials under the
influence of various forces. This book attempts to combine both
approaches to discuss those properties of materials that are chiefly
determined by electronic processes in materials.