Professor Steven Simon earned a BSc degree from Brown in Physics & Mathematics in 1989 and a PhD in Theoretical Physics from Harvard in 1995. Following a two-year post-doc at MIT, he joined Bell Labs, where he was a director of research for nine years. He is currently Professor of Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics in the Department of Physics at the University of Oxford, and a Fellow of Somerville College, Oxford. His research is in the area of condensed matter physics and communication, including subjects ranging from microwave propagation to high temperature superconductivity. He is interested in quantum effects and how they are manifested in phases of matter. He has recently been studying phases of matter known as topological phases that are invariant under smooth deformations of space-time. He is also interested in whether such phases of matter can be used for quantum information processing and quantum computation.
`The style of the book is very accessible for undergraduates. The topics are well motivated and the explanations are clear, helped by a generous set of figures for illustration. This textbook may well establish itself as an alternative to the available classics. ' Derek Lee, Imperial College London `The author, Steven Simon, is well known as an insightful scientist and an engaging and witty speaker, and it is a pleasure to see how well his talents translate to the printed page. He has re-examined with a modern eye the question of which topics should be covered in a student's first exposure to the physics of solids. My impression is that his presentation of those topics will be accessible for the student, illuminating for the expert, and entertaining for all.' Joel E. Moore, University of California, Berkeley, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory `This textbook provides a clear and compact coverage of essential topics in introductory solid state physics. It also goes beyond the usual introductory level by providing more detailed mathematical treatment, but more importantly by providing a commentary to explain the physical significance of mathematical treatments.' Gavin Mountjoy, University of Kent