This is an introductory book on solid state physics. It is a translation of a Hebrew version, written for the Open University in Israel. Aimed mainly for self-study, the book contains appendices with the necessary background, explains each calculation in detail and contains many solved problems. The bulk of the book discusses the basic concepts of periodic crystals, including lattice structures, radiation scattering off crystals, crystal bonding, vibrations of crystals, and electronic properties. On the other hand, the book also presents brief reviews of advanced topics, e.g. quasicrystals, soft condensed matter, mesoscopic physics and the quantum Hall effect. There are also many specific examples drawn from modern research topics, e.g. perovskite oxides relevant for high temperature superconductivity, graphene, electrons in low dimensions and more.
Aharony graduated from Tel Aviv University (TAU) in 1972, and was a postdoc at Cornell, Harvard, UCSD and Bell labs. He was the Nussenzveig Professor of statistical physics at TAU 1975–2006, an adjunct professor of physics at the University of Oslo 1987–2013 and a professor of physics at Ben Gurion University (BGU) 2006–2013. Among others, he is a member of the Israel academy of sciences and humanities, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Norwegian Academy of Sciences and Letters and a fellow of the American Physical Society and of the Institute of Physics.
Entin-Wohlman graduated from Bar Ilan University in 1973, and was a frequent visitor at UCLA during 1974–1987. She was a professor of physics at TAU 1974–2006 and a professor of physics at Ben Gurion University (BGU) 2006–2013. Among others, she is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Norwegian Academy of Sciences and Letters and a fellow of the American Physical Society and of the Institute of Physics.