254 pp.. numerous figures, bound f. 5.90. IR and Raman spectra of crystals reflect some of the properties of the structural elements, their interactions, as well as the whole lattice. In particular, the spectra recorded using single crystals with polarized radiation enable one to draw conclusions regarding the arrangement of the lattice units and their symmetry. Until now, the information necessary for the interpretation of these spectra has not been very widely known among chemists, and crystal spectra were often interpreted in the same way as the spectra of gases. Several authors have recently written accounts of this field for chemists. The author of the present work first points out the typical and possible differences in the spectra of molecules in the gas phase and in the solid state. He then discusses the dynamic properties of the crystal and their quantization. as well as the application of group theory. Chapters on the interaction of the radiation with the crystal and on second order effects then follow. Finally, the excitations that can be observed in addition to the vibrational transitions are discussed : excitons. magnons, and plasmons. Theauthor intentionally applies the theory only to very simple lattice units. Since difficulties arise in the application of the theory to more complicated molecules, it would have been useful to include spectra of this nature and to demonstrate their interpretation. A rather disturbing feature is the needless introduction of "Unit Cell Analysis" instead of "Factor Group Analysis". On the whole the text is very readable and comprehensible,and can bestrongly recommended as an introduction.
Bernhard Schrader [NB 179 IE]