This is a long-needed general introduction to the physics and chemistry
of the liquid-vapor phase transition of metals. Physicists and physical
chemists have made great strides understanding the basic principles
involved, and engineers have discovered a wide variety of new uses for
fluid metals. Yet there has been no book that brings together the latest
ideas and findings in the field or that bridges the conceptual gap
between the condensed-matter physics relevant to a dense metallic liquid
and the molecular chemistry relevant to a dilute atomic vapor. Friedrich
Hensel and William Warren seek to change that here. They draw on
cutting-edge research and data from carefully selected fluid-metal
systems as they strive to develop a rigorous theoretical approach to
predict the thermodynamic behavior of fluid metals over the entire
liquid-vapor range.
This book will appeal to theoreticians interested in metal-nonmetal
transitions or continuous phase transitions in general. It will also be
of great value to those who need to understand the practical
applications of fluid metals, for example, as a high-temperature working
fluid or as a key component of semiconductor manufacturing.
Originally published in 1999.
The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand
technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from
the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions
preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting
them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the
Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich
scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by
Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.
