Product Description
If you need a book that relates the core principles of quantum mechanics to modern applications in engineering, physics, and nanotechnology, this is it. Students will appreciate the book's applied emphasis, which illustrates theoretical concepts with examples of nanostructured materials, optics, and semiconductor devices. The many worked examples and more than 160 homework problems help students to problem solve and to practice applications of theory. Without assuming a prior knowledge of high-level physics or classical mechanics, the text introduces Schrodinger's equation, operators, and approximation methods. Systems, including the hydrogen atom and crystalline materials, are analyzed in detail. More advanced subjects, such as density matrices, quantum optics, and quantum information, are also covered. Practical applications and algorithms for the computational analysis of simple structures make this an ideal introduction to quantum mechanics for students of engineering, physics, nanotechnology, and other disciplines. Additional resources available from www.cambridge.org/9780521897839.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 5.0 based on 4 reviews)

Well-Written and Not Confusing, Extremely Complete

Many textbooks, in general, suffer in readability due the author assuming the reader thinks just as he or she does, or knows a sufficient amount of information prior to reading. David Miller is one of those authors that is just the opposite: he never assumes you know anything that isn't in his book (other than that you know how to read and do basic math). In addition, Miller has the unique ability to relate complex and complicated concepts to common examples. You will find that reading through this text is much smoother than with other textbooks. There are also solutions to certain problems and viewgraphs available for free online.

The topics in the book cover the basic quantum mechanical scenarios, such as simple 1D/3D potentials, operators, the uncertainty principle (taught in two ways...Griffiths provides a third), matrix formalism, Dirac notation, angular momentum, spin, and the Hydrogen atom. In addition, more advanced topics, such as perturbation theory (time independent and dependent), the density matrix, and approximation techniques. Miller also relates much of the material to photonics topics, such as absorption, Fermi's Golden Rule, non-linear effects, refractive index, and much more. As an EE professor, he also covers some band theory of crystalline solids.

I feel that this book is extremely complete and will be extremely useful for anyone wanting to learn Quantum Mechanics. I've also used Griffiths and Singh, which are also excellent texts. I feel that Griffiths accompanies this text very well (so having both is more than complete). I have yet to find an error in the text, and this is most likely because Miller wrote this originally as a course reader that was published through Stanford. The course reader has been used by other professors and hundreds of student prior to publishing. This means that your learning won't be plagued or interrupted with errors, or with the need to purchase a new edition.
December 05, 2008

good QM book

Reminiscent of Feynman's Lectures on Physics, the author's clear, conversational writing style makes quantum mechanics tangible (and interesting!) to a wide range of readers.
June 14, 2008

Dr. Miller has a natural ability to explain complex concepts clearly

Although I haven't reviewed this published version of the text, I have read his course reader that this text is based on (and a few others) for an applied QM course at Stanford. Unlike too many graduate courses where course notes are so poorly written and organized that the student finds themselves spending an inordinate amount of time deciphering them, Dr. Miller essentially writes a detailed (yet fairly concise) textbook for just about every class that he teaches. More importantly he is able to convey complex concepts very clearly. Based on my experience reading his course readers, I highly recommend any textbook he writes.
May 11, 2008

Great engineering reference

I have used this reference before it was even made into a book for a course taught by the author. Both the authors written and spoken words are incredibly clear and easy to follow. The examples and homework questions help to better understand the material being taught and relate directly to the books contents. I highly recommend this as a reference for students as well as a course book since it would be excellent source around which a Professor may design a course.
May 03, 2008

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