Good discussion of experimental data/techniques?

In summary, I'm looking for books or papers that give a pedagogically clear and reasonably up-to-date discussion of various experimental techniques in condensed matter physics. For example, ARPES, STM, NMR, muSR, ... As I suspect may be true for many theorists, I learned what I know of experimental techniques in piecemeal fashion, but I would like to do better by my own future students.
  • #1
Physics Monkey
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Hi all,

I'm looking for books or papers that give a pedagogically clear and reasonably up-to-date discussion of various experimental techniques in condensed matter physics. For example, ARPES, STM, NMR, muSR, ... As I suspect may be true for many theorists, I learned what I know of experimental techniques in piecemeal fashion, but I would like to do better by my own future students.

I realize this is very broad, but any suggestions would be appreciated.

I'm open to any anything, but what I have in mind would provide a nice balance of pedagogy and details. The audience I have in mind will not generally be building any apparatus, but I would like them to know how to roughly decode experimental data in papers, have some sense of what physics might obscure or complicate the result, and very importantly, have some idea of what the data would look like in a "conventional" or "paradigmatic" material.

Thanks!
 
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  • #2
I'm afraid there isn't anyone book that I know of that satisfactorily describes all of these phenomena. But there are good ones I have come across for example NMR is described pretty thoroughly in "Nuclear Magnetic Resonance" by PJ Hore. For STM, "Nanophysics and Nanotechnology" by E. Wolf has a very complete description with diagrams and data graphs. For Spectroscopy, I find "Handbook Of Spectroscopy" by G. Gauglitz , T. Vo-Dinh, to be pretty complete, I just have to know what I am looking for to get the relevant information. its very easy to get lost when looking in that book.
 
  • #3
Thanks very much for the reply. The Wolf book looks very good. The book by Hore looks more chemistry oriented, do you think this is true? Haha, that spectroscopy book is a monster!
 
  • #4
Wolf also has another book that has become a standard for tunneling spectroscospy - Principles of Electron Tunneling spectroscopy. I used this text quite a bit for my graduate work.

As for ARPES, I can recommend several texts, but there are also review papers you can find that can be useful if you don't want to delve into the painful details:

http://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0209476
http://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0208504

Although these focused on ARPES on high-Tc superconductors, the technique they described are quite universal.

Zz.
 
  • #5
Physics Monkey said:
Thanks very much for the reply. The Wolf book looks very good. The book by Hore looks more chemistry oriented, do you think this is true? Haha, that spectroscopy book is a monster!

Glad I could help. I think you are quite right that the magnetic resonance book by Hore is more chemistry oriented. It sort of avoids making mathematical representations. Nonetheless it is quite strong in its description. Most books on NMR I find do not make the crucial connection between mathematical theory (image formation) and the description of observations.
 
  • #6
ZapperZ said:
Wolf also has another book that has become a standard for tunneling spectroscospy - Principles of Electron Tunneling spectroscopy. I used this text quite a bit for my graduate work.

As for ARPES, I can recommend several texts, but there are also review papers you can find that can be useful if you don't want to delve into the painful details:

http://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0209476
http://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0208504

Although these focused on ARPES on high-Tc superconductors, the technique they described are quite universal.

Zz.

Thanks, Zz. Do you know why inverse photoemission is not a more common probe (it seems like I almost never hear about it), or am I simply poorly informed?
 
  • #7
Physics Monkey said:
Thanks, Zz. Do you know why inverse photoemission is not a more common probe (it seems like I almost never hear about it), or am I simply poorly informed?

My understanding of the issues surrounding inverse photoemission (and it is at least 5 years old) is that the noise and resolution of the technique have not caught on with photoemission spectroscopy. Certainly, if one wants to probe the empty states, one can do a lot better with tunneling spectroscopy.

Zz.
 

1. What is the purpose of a good discussion of experimental data/techniques?

A good discussion of experimental data/techniques is important because it allows for a thorough analysis and interpretation of the results obtained from an experiment. It helps to explain the significance of the data and how it contributes to the overall understanding of the research question.

2. How should experimental data be presented in a discussion?

Experimental data should be presented in a clear and organized manner, usually through tables, graphs, or figures. It is important to provide a brief description of the data and explain any trends or patterns observed. Additionally, the data should be compared to any relevant literature or previous studies to provide context.

3. What is the role of statistical analysis in a discussion of experimental data/techniques?

Statistical analysis is crucial in a discussion of experimental data/techniques as it allows for the evaluation of the significance and reliability of the results. This includes determining if there is a significant difference between groups or if the results are due to chance. It is important to clearly state the methods used for statistical analysis and provide the corresponding results.

4. How should potential limitations or errors in the experimental techniques be addressed in the discussion?

In the discussion, it is important to acknowledge any potential limitations or errors in the experimental techniques used. This helps to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the results and allows for future improvements to be made. It is also important to provide possible explanations for these limitations and discuss any steps taken to minimize their impact on the results.

5. What are the key elements to include in the conclusion of a good discussion of experimental data/techniques?

The conclusion of a good discussion of experimental data/techniques should summarize the main findings and their significance to the research question. It should also address any implications or potential future directions for the research. Additionally, the conclusion should highlight the strengths and limitations of the study and provide a clear and concise overall interpretation of the results.

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