Physics Of Crystals

This book demonstrates the importance of symmetry in determining the properties of solids and the power of using group theory and tensor algebra to elucidate these properties. It provides the fundamentals necessary for the reader to understand how to utilize these techniques in many different applications without becoming lost in a heavy formal treatment of the subject matter. The book begins by discussing the concepts of symmetry relevant to crystal structures.

A large part of crystallography deals with the way in which atoms are arranged in single crystals. On the other hand, a knowledge of the relationships between crystals in a polycrystalline material can be fascinating from the point of view of materials science. It is this aspect of crystallography which is the subject of this monograph.