Recently there have been profound developments in the understanding and interpretation of liquids and soft matter centered on constituents with sho- range interactions. Ionic soft matter is a class of conventional condensed soft matter with prevailing contribution from electrostatics and, therefore, can be subject to possible long-range correlations among the components of the - terial and in many cases crucially affecting its physical properties. Among the most popular representatives of such a class of materials are natural and synthetic saline environments, like aqueous and non-aqueous electrolyte - lutions and molten salts as well as variety of polyelectrolytes and colloidal suspensions. Equally well known are biological systems of proteins. All these systems are examples of soft matter strongly in?uenced, if not dominated, by long-range forces. For more than half of century the classical theories by Debye and Hückel as well as by Derjaguin, Landau, Verwey and Owerbeek (DLVO) have been at the basis of theoretical physical chemistry and chemical engineering. The substantial progress in material science during last few decades as well as the advent of new instrumentation and computational techniques made it apparent that in many cases the classical theories break down. New types of interactions (e.g. hydrodynamic, entropic) have been discovered and a number of questions have arisen from theoretical and experimental studies. Many of these questions still do not have de?nite answers.

Volume III/28 is a supplement to volume III/16a+b Ferroelectrics and Related Substances. It also consists of two parts a and b. The present subvolume III/28a contains data on ferroelectric oxides, supplementing III/16a which appeared in 1981. Subvolume III/28b, due in 1990, will cover non-oxides, supplementing III/16b (published in 1982). Reliable data on both pure compounds and solid solutions, published mostly between 1978 and 1986 and some data from the literature up to early 1988 are critically evaluated and included. The dielectric and ferroelectric behaviour, as well as all other properties relevant to the characterization of these substances are presented in tables and figures. About 22,000 references have been surveyed with the aid of a computer. All values are given in SI units. Rapid localization of the required data is facilitated by an alphabetical index of substances and a two-dimensional survey of substances and properties dealt with in both subvolumes III/28a and III/16a.

This book concisely presents the latest trends in the physics of superconductivity and superfluidity and magnetism in novel systems, as well as the problem of BCS-BEC crossover in ultracold quantum gases and high-Tc superconductors. It further illuminates the intensive exchange of ideas between these closely related fields of condensed matter physics over the last 30 years of their dynamic development. The content is based on the author’s original findings obtained at the Kapitza Institute, as well as advanced lecture courses he held at the Moscow Engineering Physical Institute, Amsterdam University, Loughborough University and LPTMS Orsay between 1994 and 2011. In addition to the findings of his group, the author discusses the most recent concepts in these fields, obtained both in Russia and in the West. The book consists of 16 chapters which are divided into four parts. The first part describes recent developments in superfluid hydrodynamics of quantum fluids and solids, including the fashionable subject of possible supersolidity in quantum crystals of 4He, while the second describes BCS-BEC crossover in quantum Fermi-Bose gases and mixtures, as well as in the underdoped states of cuprates. The third part is devoted to non-phonon mechanisms of superconductivity in unconventional (anomalous) superconductors, including some important aspects of the theory of high-Tc superconductivity. |The last part considers the anomalous normal state of novel superconductive materials and materials with colossal magnetoresistance (CMR). The book offers a valuable guide for senior-level undergraduate students and graduate students, postdoctoral and other researchers specializing in solid-state and low-temperature physics.

This inaugural volume in a new series on quantum many-body theory contains the papers presented at the Ninth International Conference on Recent Progress in Many-Body Theories. The conference focused on the development and refinement of many-body methods. A major aim was to foster the exchange of ideas among physicists working in such diverse areas as nuclear physics, quantum chemistry, complex systems, lattice Hamiltonians, quantum fluids and condensed matter physics. A special feature was a session devoted to theories for many-electron systems in low-dimensional quantum dots, wires and electrons.

The field of cold atomic gases faced a revolution in 1995 when Bose-Einstein condensation was achieved. The quest for ultra-cold Fermi gases started shortly after the 1995 discovery, and quantum degeneracy in a gas of fermionic atoms was obtained in 1999. This work covers experimental techniques for the creation and study of Fermi quantum gases.

The field of cold atomic gases faced a revolution in 1995 when Bose-Einstein condensation was achieved. Since then, there has been an impressive progress, both experimental and theoretical. The quest for ultra-cold Fermi gases started shortly after the 1995 discovery, and quantum degeneracy in a gas of fermionic atoms was obtained in 1999. The Pauli exclusion principle plays a crucial role in many aspects of ultra-cold Fermi gases, including inhibited interactions with applications to precision measurements, and strong correlations. The path towards strong interactions and pairing of fermions opened up with the discovery in 2003 that molecules formed by fermions near a Feshbach resonance were surprisingly stable against inelastic decay, but featured strong elastic interactions. This remarkable combination was explained by the Pauli exclusion principle and the fact that only inelastic collisions require three fermions to come close to each other. The unexpected stability of strongly interacting fermions and fermion pairs triggered most of the research which was presented at this summer school. It is remarkable foresight (or good luck) that the first steps to organize this summer school were already taken before this discovery. It speaks for the dynamics of the field how dramatically it can change course when new insight is obtained. The contributions in this volume provide a detailed coverage of the experimental techniques for the creation and study of Fermi quantum gases, as well as the theoretical foundation for understanding the properties of these novel systems.

Following an explosion of research on Bose–Einstein condensation (BEC) ignited by demonstration of the effect by 2001 Nobel prize winners Cornell, Wieman and Ketterle, this book surveys the field of BEC studies. Written by experts in the field, it focuses on Bose–Einstein condensation as a universal phenomenon, covering topics such as cold atoms, magnetic and optical condensates in solids, liquid helium and field theory. Summarising general theoretical concepts and the research to date - including novel experimental realisations in previously inaccessible systems and their theoretical interpretation - it is an excellent resource for researchers and students in theoretical and experimental physics who wish to learn of the general themes of BEC in different subfields.