Full Quantum Effects in Condensed Matter Physics: Beyond the Born-Oppenheimer Approximation

As physical science advances, theoretical simulations become increasingly reflective of realistic systems, and experimental observations become more precise and refined. Thus, going beyond the Born–Oppenheimer approximation is inevitable. This book bases its discussion of condensed matter physics on the Schrödinger equation, considering both nuclear and electronic degrees of freedom. Particular attention is given to two types of phenomena: those, such as nuclear quantum effects, for which the Born–Oppenheimer approximation, although applicable in principle, is progressively weakened in practice, and those that cannot be applied at all, such as phenomena exhibiting non-adiabatic effects. In practical systems, the full quantum nature of condensed matter, as emphasized in this book, cannot be overlooked when performing accurate simulations or measurements of material properties. This book offers state-of-the-art quantum theoretical and experimental methods, valuable for undergraduates, graduates, researchers, and industry professionals in fields such as physics, chemistry, materials science, energy, and environmental science.

Enge Wang is President Emeritus of Peking University, Honorary Director of Kavli Institute of Theoretical Sciences, and a Chair Professor of Physics. He is renowned for his research on full quantum effects in light-element materials. A member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a Fellow of the American Physical Society, Wang has been honoured with a series of awards, including the Tan Kah Kee Science Award in Mathematics and Physics, the Humboldt Research Award, and the TWAS Award in Physics. He has co-authored over 350 papers, edited and been a member of editorial boards of over 10 international journals, and co-authored two books: Computer Simulations of Molecules and Condensed Matter: From Electronic Structures to Molecular Dynamics (World Scientific, 2018), and Water: Basic Science (Springer, 2023).