Physics and Chemistry at Low Temperatures

Low temperature is an extreme condition which has always attracted scientists. The reasons for this interest are both fundamental and practical. At such low (cryogenic) temperatures the thermal, electric, and magnetic properties of many substances undergo great change, and the behavior of matter is very different from that at room temperature. Many fundamental discoveries have been done at low temperatures. The development of thermodynamics has been essentially based on potentials of cryogenic technology. Tunneling reactions in chemistry are characterized by the low-temperature limit when the classical contribution is negligible. Many practical applications benefit from the lack of heat and have a deep physical basis. Interesting advantages of chemical synthesis at low temperatures has been demonstrated, etc. Undoubtedly many exciting and useful phenomena will be found at low temperatures in future. It is impossible to describe all fields of low-temperature research in one book. A small part of the results and perspectives in this area is considered in Physics and Chemistry at Low Temperatures, which covers fundamental and practical aspects of the processes and experimental and theoretical methods used in the field. The chapters are written by leading scientists who have very strong experience in the selected topics and many practical recommendations can be found in this book.

Leonid Khriachtchev is a professor at the University of Helsinki in Finland. He is the editor of Silicon Nanophotonics: Basic Principles, Present Status, and Perspectives.