Product Description
This didactically unrivalled textbook and timeless reference by Nobel Prize Laureate Claude Cohen-Tannoudji separates essential underlying principles of quantum mechanics from specific applications and practical examples and deals with each of them in a different section. Chapters emphasize principles; complementary sections supply applications. The book provides a qualitative introduction to quantum mechanical ideas; a systematic, complete and elaborate presentation of all the mathematical tools and postulates needed, including a discussion of their physical content and applications.
The book is recommended on a regular basis by lecturers of undergraduate courses. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (43)

Comprehensive, math-oriented, and complete.
This book is perfect for those who truly want to master the inner workings of quantum mechanics. The book provides the basic understanding of the chapter topic first, then gives you about 5-10 undergraduate to graduate level supplements that complete the understanding. All of the concepts are explained with a very precise, and correct mathematical formalism that is usually left out in physics books. You may still need a pure math book in analysis to completely understand the math (I recommend the green rudin) but this book provides everything you need to understand quantum mechanics.

Great for very ambitious undergraduate students, and very appropriate for anybody else who needs a complete treatment of quantum mechanics.

Well worth the purchase.

If you're very serious about being a theoretician or mathematical physicist, and want a firm grasp of the math, then consult these math books:

Linear Algebra by David C. Lay
-Diagonalizable matrices and how they relate to a basis for the space the matrix is in.
-All the basic linear algebra applies to infinite dimensional spaces in quantum mechanics.

Complex Analysis by Walter Rudin.
-For hilbert space and inner product space understanding.
-Basic Lebesgue intergral understanding (sums are also lebesque integrals, which can be confusing when talking about square integratible space)

Functional Analysis by Walter Rudin.
-Describes event dual space fairly well.

Expensive
Yeah, books are great, got to me really fast, in mint condition. But they are a kinda expensive...

The Best Book on Quantum Mechanics
This book is a must for anyone wanting to learn quantum mechanics as well as for the researcher. It is deeply rigorous and yet particularly clear and enlightening.

For the student using this as a textbook I will say :

The authors start with the very foundation of the theory both on the mathematical and conceptual levels, something which is widely omitted by other textbooks on quantum mechanics. They are never stingy with words in stark contrast with many books on the subject. Every single result is derived in a clear, concise and compact form, and the most important concepts are all well chosen and contained within the chapters. For those wanting to get detailed account of particular examples, they will find all they look for in the appendices. This chapter/ appendix structure allows to get the essential in the main body of the text without skippingtoo much. The book will bring you from basic mathematical knowledge (really not much is required) to a solid understanding of quantum mechanics, its methods and peculiarities. Everything presented in the book is relevant for students in any domain of quantum physics, thus making the book well worth its (high) price.

For those wanting to deepen their knowledge, or simply have a reference on the general framework of the theory I will say :

This book contains all the general features of the theory and if you look for something that you don't find in it, then it is simply beyond the scope of introductory books (i.e. a book on the particular subject is really what is adapted). The rigorousness of the book make it invaluable when it comes to get back to the fundamental meaning of certain relations. It is also a remarkable depository of methods for general quantum physics (i.e. applicable to all fields of quantum physics), the formulas and considered example will often pop-up in your work.To conclude I note that being a researcher (theorist) I regularly come back to the book will the same delight again and again.

Therefore I put 5 stars simply because 6 or more is not possible.

Hard to beat
This is probably the best book on quantum mechanics ever written, from a pedagogical standpoint. It leaves no stones unturned. Cohen works out tons of examples in exquisite details, like no one does. His presentation style is clear and complete. He makes extensive use of perturbation theory, so if you read this book, you will become an expert at it. He covers atoms, molecules, solids, gases, I don't see what else could be included in an introductory text. This book really show his mastery of the topic. My only complaint is that the book is rather long, the discussions are long, and it's not a quick read. But I don't think this was the intent when he wrote it. He meant it as a comprehensive introduction, and he did a great job at it. 5 stars. I would give 6 stars if I could. Another possible complaint is that the book doesn't cover 2nd quantization, but this is almost never done in an introductory book anyways, so this is not a valid complaint either. A 3rd complaint is the book doesn't cover path integrals, but again, this is never considered introductory material and therefore is normally left out of an introductory exposition. For those topics not covered, excellent textbooks already exist (for example, Cohen-Tannoudji's books on quantum electrodynamics, or any of the recent books on condensed matter field theory will cover the above-mentioned topics)

poor packaging, ok book
I was disappointed with the packaging they sent the book in.It was only wrapped in paper on two ends, and the paper had ripped open so the book was barely in its package by the time it showed up in my mailbox.Somehow, the book was still in decent shape despite its packaging.

The book itself is highly technical, not a very easy read, but very thorough in dealing with the many facets of quantum mechanics. ... Read more

Product Description
Photons and Atoms

Photons and Atoms: Introduction to Quantum Electrodynamics provides the necessary background to understand the various physical processes associated with photon-atom interactions. It starts with elementary quantum theory and classical electrodynamics and progresses to more advanced approaches. A critical comparison is made between these different, although equivalent, formulations of quantum electrodynamics.

Using this format, the reader is offered a gradual, yet flexible introduction to quantum electrodynamics, avoiding formal discussions and excessive shortcuts. Complementing each chapter are numerous examples and exercises that can be used independently from the rest of the book to extend each chapter in many disciplines depending on the interests and needs of the reader. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

concise but inspiring
The subjects are laied out according to logical progression with rich exercises which are quite helpful to review my own understanding. However some subjects treated as complinent shoud be a part of the main text in my opinion, since I must have left the main text some time to read through the compliment.

My only physics book
Although I am a physicist and possess many books, for a long time my collection contained onlya single book related to physics: Photons and Atoms. It is the most pedagogical text to be found on the fundamentalaspects of the quantized interaction of matter with light. It's concise,clear, and convincing. The reader is never left mystified about anytechnical detail: no assumptions or approximations areleft unexplained orswept under the rug. Yet, in spite of the high technical level the text isfull of insights and simple intuitive pictures as well.Worth mentioningare also the exercises in each Chapter, which are remarkably useful andrewarding,Moreover, the solutions are given anddisplay the same clarityof style and insightful remarks as the main text. The main emphasis of thebook is on the nonrelativistic formulation of QED, but, of course, there isalso a chapter devoted to the relativistic version that includes adescription of how to take in a proper fashion the non-relativistic limit.Also questions of gauge, such as concerning the often confusing choicebetween"p.A" and "r.E" are treated, and it is, e.g.,explicitly shown how in numerical problems the two are not alwaysequivalent, as approximations made are not necessarily gauge invariant. Isthere anything bad to say about this book? Almost not: for a while I hadthe impression that this book was the only one without any typographicalerrors, but in the meantime I have discovered 2. To be a bit more serious,maybe there is something: the book focuses on fundamental issues and,hence, if you expect ---especially given the title of the book---to readabout problems such as spontaneous emission or laser-induced ionization ofatoms, thenyou will be disappointed. In that case, you will have to checkout the companion volume: atom-photon interactions. But hey, that's notsuch a bad book either. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a book about laser cooling, a new research field with many potential applications. The authors present an original approach, using the tools and concepts of statistical physics. A new understanding of laser cooling, both intuitive and quantitative, is obtained. The volume also comprises a case study allowing non-Gaussian (Lévy) statistics, a technique being used more frequently in many different fields. ... Read more

Product Description
This book presents a comprehensive overview of the spectacular advances seen in atomic physics during the last 50 years. The authors explain how such progress was possible by highlighting connections between developments that occurred at different times. They discuss the new perspectives and the new research fields that look promising. The emphasis is placed, not on detailed calculations, but rather on physical ideas. Combining both theoretical and experimental considerations, the book will be of interest to a wide range of students, teachers and researchers in quantum and atomic physics. ... Read more

Product Description
This invaluable book presents papers written during the last 40 years by Claude Cohen-Tannoudji and his collaborators on various physical effects which can be observed on atoms interacting with electromagnetic fields. It consists of a personal selection of review papers, lectures given at schools, as well as original experimental and theoretical papers. Emphasis is placed on physical mechanisms and on general approaches (such as the dressed atom approach) having a wide range of applications. Various topics are discussed, such as atoms in intense laser fields, photon correlations, quantum jumps, radiative corrections, laser cooling and trapping, Bose–Einstein condensation. In this new edition, about 200-page of new material has been added. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A comprehensive textbook
Complete formulae demonstrations are followed by intuitive explanations and detailed examples. Cohen-Tannoudji's textbook provides good insight in quantum mechanics. Excellent at undergraduatelevel, it has advancedsections for graduate studens. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Introduction to Quantum Mechanics for physicists
This is an excellent introduction by Nobel-Prize winning Claude Cohen-Tannoudji. The aim of this book (two volumes!) is to explain quantum mechanics on a mathematically adequate level (Hilbert, Dirac, Fourier andco.). Read this book if you have the necessary mathematical background orif you are willing to get into it - but still: this is primarily a book forphysicists and mathematicians, not for laymen! If you prefer a more"biological" (i.e more hand-waving, less math) introduction toquantum mechanics refer to e.g. the third volume by Richard Feynman.

Notethat this is some kind of must-know book for quantum mechanics - at leastover here in Europe. Many professors base their lectures on this book andrecommend reading it for a better understanding of quantum mechanicsbecause they don't have time to cover all the subjects covered in thebook... ... Read more

Product Description
Atom-Photon Interactions: Basic Processes and Applications allows the reader to master various aspects of the physics of the interaction between light and matter. It is devoted to the study of the interactions between photons and atoms in atomic and molecular physics, quantum optics, and laser physics. The elementary processes in which photons are emitted, absorbed, scattered, or exchanged between atoms are treated in detail and described using diagrammatic representation. The book presents different theoretical approaches, including:
* Perturbative methods
* The resolvent method
* Use of the master equation
* The Langevin equation
* The optical Bloch equations
* The dressed-atom approach

Each method is presented in a self-contained manner so that it may be studied independently. Many applications of these approaches to simple and important physical phenomena are given to illustrate the potential and limitations of each method. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

One of the best books
This is one of the best books in the field of QED. I used it for self-study. Only downside (also upside) about it is that everything is explained so completely that the reaser might become a bit lazy at times to spend some intellectual effort. An excellent book for self-study.

Very useful
Atom Photon Interactions is an excellent text for atomic and optical physics.I refer back to the review material---transition amplitudes, quantum electrodynamic fundamentals, etc--- over and over again. Naturally,these sections are very brief, and the book works best along sideCohen-Tannoudji's more elementary texts Quantum Mechanicsand Photons andAtoms, or their equivalents.

The later chapters are rich in techniquesand intuition applicable to atom-trapping, spectroscopy, laser theory, etc. Cohen-Tannoudji covers a lot of material, and manages to link it all to afew basic fundamental principles.The book is extremely well-organized,with bite-sized sections and appendices to each chapter. An excellentcollection of exercises with solutions is included in the back. Unfortunately, the text does not prompt the reader to try working theseproblems at appropriate times (sadly, I didn't realize the exercises werethere until I'd been using the book for some time).LikePhotons andAtoms, this is primarily a book for theorists; its one weakness, I feel, isthat the principles, however clear, never seem connected to the actualnumbers that an experimentalist or system designer can relate to. ... Read more

Product Description
The translation of this well-known French textbook introduces physics students to the field of quantum mechanics. The work is now being published in its third edition.Each chapter consists of two parts. In the first part, the fundamental postulates and concepts are introduced. In the second part, the basic knowledge of quantum mechanics is conveyed by means of numerous applications. The work is a both a textbook and a workbook, and is also suited as a reference work for professionals in the field.- Translation of the well-known and timeless work by Nobel Prize winner Cohen-Tannoudji and his co-authors.- Unique two-part chapter structure, with part one consisting of basic concepts, and part two consisting of exercises and an explanation of applications within the field of physics ... Read more