Methods in Physical Chemistry

Thanks to the progress made in instruments and techniques, the methods in physical chemistry have developed rapidly over the past few decades, making them increasingly valuable for scientists of many disciplines. These two must-have volumes meet the needs of the scientific community for a thorough overview of all the important methods currently used. As such, this work bridges the gap between standard textbooks and review articles, covering a large number of methods, as well as the motivation behind their use. A uniform approach is adopted throughout both volumes, while the critical comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of each method makes this a valuable reference for physical chemists and other scientists working with these techniques.

Table of Contents:
Volume 1 PART I: Gas Phase MANIPULATING THE MOTION OF COMPLEX MOLECULES: DEFLECTION, FOCUSING, AND DECELERATION OF MOLECULAR BEAMS FOR QUANTUM-STATE ANDCONFORMER SELECTION Introduction: Controlled Molecules Experimental Methods Experimental Details Selected Applications Conclusions and Perspectives LASER IONIZATION SPECTROSCOPY Introduction Basic Principles Experimental Methods Case Studies Conclusions and Perspectives Supplementary Material MASS SPECTROMETRY FOR ION CHEMISTRY AND LINKS FROM THE GAS PHASE TO 'REAL' PROCESSES Introduction Key Experimental Methods Ion Structures Ion Energetics Reactions of Neutral Molecules Studied by Mass Spectrometry Ion Catalysis Summary and Perspectives PART II: Condensed-Phase SOLID STATE NMR: A VERSATILE TOOL IN SOLID STATE CHEMISTRY AND MATERIALS SCIENCE Introduction Basic Principles Experimental Techniques Selected Applications Conclusion Supplementary Material EPR - ESR - EMR, AN ONGOING SUCCESS STORY Introduction Basic Principles Experimental Methods Case Studies Conclusions and Perspectives Supplementary Material BROADBAND CONDUCTIVITY SPECTROSCOPY FOR STUDYING THE DYNAMICS OF MOBILE IONS IN MATERIALS WITH DISORDERED STRUCTURES Introduction: 'Microscopy in Time' in Disordered Ionic Materials Experimental Techniques: Spanning More Than 17 Decades in Frequency Linear Response Theory: Current Density and Conductivity Conductivity Spectra: Universal Properties Detected 'First' Universality: Spectra and Modeling 'Second' Universality: Spectra and Modeling X-RAY ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY - THE METHOD AND ITS APPLICATIONS Introduction Basic Principles - the EXAFS Equation Experimental Methods Case Studies Conclusion DIFFRACTION METHODS: STRUCTURE DETERMINATION AND PHASE ANALYSIS OF SOLIDS Introduction: Diffraction - What for? Basic Principles of the Elastic Interaction of Radiation and Periodic Arrays of Atoms Methods and Their Applications Summary: Diffractometry-Where To? SMALL-ANGLE X-RAY AND NEUTRON SCATTERING - TWO COMPLEMENTARY METHODS TO STUDY SOFT MATTER STRUCTURE Introduction Basic Theory of Small-Angle Scattering X-Rays and Neutrons Selected Applications Conclusions PERTURBED GAMMA TO GAMMA ANGULAR CORRELATION Introduction Basic Principles Case Studies Conclusions and Perspectives MOSSBAUER SPECTROSCOPY Introduction Basic Principles Experimental Methods Case Studies and Selected Applications Outlook ELECTRON ENERGY LOSS SPECTROSCOPY AS AN EXPERIMENTAL PROBE FOR THE CRYSTAL STRUCTURE AND ELECTRONIC SITUATION OF SOLIDS Introduction Basics of EELS Selected Applications of EELS Outlook Volume 2 PART III: Interfaces RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY: PRINCIPLES, BENEFITS, AND APPLICATIONS Introduction Basic Principles: Raman Scattering Experimental Methods Applications of Raman Spectroscopy Conclusion DIFFUSE REFLECTANCE INFRARED FOURIER TRANSFORM SPECTROSCOPY: AN IN SITU METHOD FOR THE STUDY OF THE NATURE AND DYNAMICS OF SURFACE INTERMEDIATES Introduction Basic Principles Experimental Set-Up Application Examples Summary PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY IN MATERIALS SCIENCE AND PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY: ANALYSIS OF COMPOSITION, CHEMICAL BONDING, AND ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE OF SURFACES AND INTERFACES Introduction Experimental Procedure Case Studies: XPS Case Studies: UPS Conclusions and Perspectives Supplementary Material PHOTOELECTRON MICROSCOPY: IMAGING TOOLS FOR THE STUDY OF SURFACE REACTIONS WITH TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL RESOLUTION Introduction Basic Principles: Photoelectron-Based Analytical Techniques Experimental Methods Case Studies (Selected Applications) Conclusions and Perspectives Supplementary Material SECONDARY ION MASS SPECTROMETRY - A POWERFUL TOOL FOR STUDYING ELEMENTAL DISTRIBUTIONS OVER VARIOUS LENGTH SCALES Introduction Basic Principles Experimental Methods Case Studies Conclusions and Perspectives Supplementary Material APPLICATION OF THE QUARTZ MICROBALANCE IN ELECTROCHEMISTRY Introduction Basic Principles Experimental Methods Case Studies Conclusions and Perspectives Supplementary Material THE SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPE IN ELECTROCHEMISTRY: AN ATOMISTIC VIEW OF ELECTROCHEMISTRY Introduction Basic Principles Experimental Methods Case Studies Conclusion and Perspectives Supplementary Material LOW-ENERGY ELECTRON DIFFRACTION: CRYSTALLOGRAPHY OF SURFACES AND INTERFACES Introduction Basic Principles Experiment Applications Conclusions and Perspectives PART IV: Biomolecules and Materials FEMTOSECOND VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPIES AND APPLICATIONS TO HYDROGEN-BOND DYNAMICS IN CONDENSED PHASES Introduction Vibrational Pump - Probe Spectroscopy Applications Summary THZ TECHNOLOGY AND THZ SPECTROSCOPY: MODELING AND EXPERIMENTS TO STUDY SOLVATION DYNAMICS OF BIOMOLECULES THz Technology THz Spectroscopy THz Spectroscopy of Solvated Probes Biomolecule Solvation and Terahertz Dynamics: Important Concepts Precise Measurements of the THz Absorption Coefficient THz Spectroscopy of Solvated Proteins KITA: Kinetic THz Absorption Spectroscopy Further Application of THz Absorption Spectroscopy SINGLE-MOLECULE FLUORESCENCE SPECTROSCOPY: THE ULTIMATE LIMIT OF ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY IN THE CONDENSED PHASE Introduction Basic Principles Methods Single Quantum Systems: Anti-Bunching, Blinking, Anisotropy Conclusions and Perspectives Related Fields of Research SCANNING PROBE METHODS: FROM MICROSCOPY TO SENSING Introduction Basic Principles and Experimental Techniques Applications Summary and Conclusion SUPERCONDUCTING QUANTUM INTERFERENCE DEVICE MAGNETOMETRY Introduction Basic Principles Experimental Magnetometrical Methods Selected Applications Supplementary Material TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY Introduction Components of a TEM Instrument Specimen Preparation Electron Diffraction Image Contrast High Resolution Imaging Summary

About the Author :
Peter C. Schmidt is a retired Professor of Physical Chemistry at the Technical University of Darmstadt. He is working in the field of Theoretical Solid State Chemistry. From 1992 to 1998 he was editor of the Berichte der Bunsen-Gesellschaft, an international Journal of Physical Chemistry, and from 1999 to 2010 he was the editor of the Bunsen-Magazin, a journal of the German Bunsen Society of Physical Chemistry. Rolf Schafer is a Professor of Physical Chemistry at the Technical University of Darmstadt. His major interest is in small clusters, isolated in the gas phase but also supported on surfaces. He is focussed on the development of molecular beam and surface science techniques to study the magnetic, optical, catalytic and thermal properties of clusters in dependence of size and composition. At present, he is the editor of the Bunsen-Magazin, a journal of the German Bunsen Society of Physical Chemistry.

Review :
“Summing Up: Highly recommended.  Upper-division undergraduates through professionals.”  (Choice, 1 December 2012)