Probing electronic structure

Electronic and photoelectron spectroscopy: fundamentals and case studies 
A M Ellis, M Feher and T G Wright
Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press | 2005 | 300pp | ?30.00 | ISBN 0521817374 
Reviewed by John Dyke

This book, written by three active practitioners of spectroscopy and electronic structure calculations, is aimed at advanced undergraduate and graduate level students. 

The first half of the book reviews briefly the foundations and the experimental techniques. The second half covers, in an interesting and narrative way, a series of short case studies. These are meant to act as a bridge between more elementary undergraduate material and more advanced research material. They are designed to be self contained so that a student can select those that are of most interest.  

Each case study can be followed up by reading the references quoted and advanced texts. In this way, the student can build up a detailed understanding in a particular topic and, by reading a number of case studies, a knowledge base can be established. 

The question is - will this work? The style used in the case studies - presenting fundamental material only as it is needed to analyse real spectra and then outlining the elements of the analysis - will be attractive to students who are getting started in this field. 

However, if a student has not acquired sufficient background knowledge from the first two years of an undergraduate course they will have problems. 

Nevertheless, for the target readership, this book is a light, readable and valuable introduction to the detailed and exciting world of electronic and photoelectron spectroscopy.