Condensed matter physics

A field of study that studies the macroscopic properties of matter from the standpoint of microscopic atoms and molecules. Physics is generally divided into two categories: nuclear and particle theory, which studies atoms and molecules down to even smaller fundamental particles, and condensed matter physics, which studies in the opposite direction. Until around 1950, the latter was called condensed matter theory, but today, as its content has become significantly richer, it has come to be called condensed matter physics. There is no suitable word for this in foreign languages. The term "material science," which has recently been used in the United States, is close to it. The structure of matter, as well as its mechanical, thermal, electrical, and magnetic properties, are studied theoretically and experimentally in many different fields. Theoretical research is based on quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics. Experimental research is extremely diverse, including optical measurements of the interaction between electromagnetic waves and matter, measurements of the properties of matter over a wide range of temperatures, pressures, and magnetic fields, and measurements of the diffraction and irradiation effects of electron and neutron beams.

Source: Morikita Publishing "Chemical Dictionary (2nd Edition)" Information about the Chemical Dictionary 2nd Edition

物質の巨視的な性質について，微視的な原子・分子の立場から研究を進める学問をいう．物理学は普通，原子・分子からさらに小さい基本的粒子へと研究を進めていく，いわゆる原子核・素粒子論と，その逆の方向に研究を進める物性物理学の二つに大別される．後者は1950年ころまでは物性論といわれてきたが，その内容がいちじるしく豊富になった今日，物性物理学とよばれるようになった．外国語にはこれにあたる適切なことばがない．最近，アメリカで使われていることばmaterial scienceの内容がそれに近い．物質の構造，またその力学的，熱的，電気的，磁気的諸性質は，理論的・実験的に多数の分野に分かれて研究がなされている．理論的研究の面では，量子力学と統計力学が基礎になっている．実験的研究では，電磁波と物質との相互作用に対する光学的測定，広範囲にわたる温度領域・圧力領域・磁場領域に対する物質の諸性質の測定，電子線・中性子線の回折や照射効果の測定などきわめて多種多様である．

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