Book description
Innovative developments in science and technology require a thorough
knowledge of applied mathematics, particularly in the field of
differential equations and special functions. These are relevant in
modeling and computing applications of electromagnetic theory and
quantum theory, e. g. in photonics and nanotechnology. The problem of
solving partial differential equations remains an important topic that
is taught at both the undergraduate and graduate level.
Separable Boundary-Value Problems in Physics is an accessible
and comprehensive treatment of partial differential equations in
mathematical physics in a variety of coordinate systems and geometry
and their solutions, including a differential geometric formulation,
using the method of separation of variables. With problems and modern
examples from the fields of nano-technology and other areas of physics.
The fluency of the text and the high quality of graphics make the
topic easy accessible. The organization of the content by coordinate
systems rather than by equation types is unique and offers an easy access.
The authors consider recent research results which have led to a much
increased pedagogical understanding of not just this topic but of many
other related topics in mathematical physics, and which like the
explicit discussion on differential geometry shows - yet have not been
treated in the older texts. To the benefit of the reader, a summary
presents a convenient overview on all special functions covered.
Homework problems are included as well as numerical algorithms for
computing special functions. Thus this book can serve as a reference
text for advanced undergraduate students, as a textbook for graduate
level courses, and as a self-study book and reference manual for
physicists, theoretically oriented engineers and traditional mathematicians.
Morten Willatzen is Head of Research at the Center for Product
Innovation of the Mads Clausen Institute at the University of Southern
Denmark. Having received his PhD from the Niels Bohr Institute at the
University of Copenhagen, he held positions at Aarhus University,
Max-Planck-Institute for Solid State Research, Germany, and Senior
Scientist at Danfoss A/S, DK. In 2000 he became Associate Professor, in
2004 Full Professor at the University of Southern Denmark. Morten
Willatzen's research interests include solid state physics, in
particular quantum-confined structures and applications to semiconductor
laser amplifiers, flow acoustics, and modelling of thermo-fluid systems.
L. C. Lew Yan Voon is Professor and Chair of the Department of Physics
at Wright State University. Educated in Cambridge, England, and
Vancouver, Canada, he received his PhD from Worcester Polytechnic
Institute, USA, where he held positions until 2004, with a stay at the
Max-Planck-Institute for Solid State Research as an Alexander von
Humboldt fellow. Dr. Lew Yan Voon was visiting scientist at the Air
Force Research Laboratory, Hong Kong University of Science and
Technology, Stanford University, and the University of Southern Denmark.
Professor Lew Yan Voon received the Balslev Award (Denmark) and the NSF
CAREER award. His research interests are in semiconductor theory and
mathematical physics and involve the study of band structure theory and
applications to nanostructures.
