This book offers an excellent, step-by-step introduction to crucial concepts of solid-state physics. I think, the authors have nicely avoided "reasoning surprises" that usually bother novice readers. To read this book smoothly, certainly you need "Physics 101" background; but other than that, the book seems to be self-contained. But don't be surprised if the problems are quite challenging (some are tough)!

The development of solid-state physics is presented in a more historical fashion--in opposition to rigid, systematic, definitive, and (sometimes) boring way that is commonly adopted by many other solid-state books.

In my opinion (hopefully wrong), this book has some shortcomings:

(1) detailed technical aspects, e.g. in XRD--you must refer to other technical books if you want to delve into them.

(2) links to interesting, research-related topics in modern solid state physics.

(3) new editions since the first release (how come?? Solid state physics has grown rapidly!).

These are probably due to the the introductory nature of this book. But it is good if there is a future revision, with point (2) above added in it, at least in the form of problems.


Only for serious people   November 28, 2002
13 out of 14 found this review helpful

The books, despite being older than me, is still THE text book in solid state (same way as Led Zep is king of classical rock). Comprehensive, NO look-up-in-the-text kind of problems and thorough. People always wonder why there is no second edition of this book, simply because there isn't a single book which can meet its high standard.

Apart from that, you need a good teacher to teach this book. I took course in advanced solid state and used the same book, didn't even had a feeling of k-space. But later was blessed to take the course again with Aschroft. Not only he is an excellent researcher, but extra-ordinary teacher. Rediscovering solid state again was fulfilling with one of the best teacher and one of the best book to follow.


covers basically all matter concerning solstate physics   May 23, 1998
9 out of 12 found this review helpful

Great Job in explaining this "hairy" matter. Reading the book as an theoretical Physisist there is some stuff missing when it gets to the theoretical aspects. And this is not what the authors intended. The book rather explains in "simple" words and formulas a deep physical understanding of all fields of solid state physics.

It has everything a good text book needs.

Great Job by the athors Fun to read.


Old book, but the physics is the same   August 6, 2007
Reviewer (Near Columbus, OH United States)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

The Ashcroft text is superior to other Solid State texts because of its readbility. It is not over-written like some texts, and its presentation of fundamentals is appropriate for a graduate course in solid state physics. It is not fair to under-rate the book simply because it is "old". Despite having several decades to write a better book, few authors have.

There are advanced chapters toward the end of the book that lay the foundations for superconductivity and vibrations in solids, among other things. Like most physics books, the direct application of the physics to real world tools is an afterthought, as it took me 5 years of experience to finally realize that Ashcroft's treatment of phonons in later chapters could be used to describe the piezoelectric efficiency of acoustic sensors. Perhaps this is because the book is dated, or perhaps it is because many physics texts fail to make the link between consumer technologies and fundamental breakthroughs in understanding, as if it is beneath the moral integrity of physics to worry about the engineering that follows. The work in superconductivity is advanced for a typical solid state course and might be better for a special topics series, as it was when I was a graduate student.

Ashcroft will serve as a good primer for most solid state topics, and it is well augmented with Kittel. A lesser book by Ibach and Luth, while it has just a few positive qualities, will fail a student unless they have Ashcroft on hand. Between Ashcroft and Kittel, a student would have a strong reference library.

As a side note, while it seems to be par for the course for most solid state texts, little is done to address the findamentals of crystalline structure that have led to the growth and evolution of the field of materials science. One of Ashcroft's introductory chapters summarizes a fundamental MSE text (such as Callister) very well by describing different crystalline structures and calculating packing fractions. However, it requires a leap of understanding to see that solid state physics is not just about semiconductors, but it is also about strength of materials and the fundamentals of transmission electron microscopy, among other things. Ashcroft is not to blame for this oversight - perhaps publishers would rather separate these topics for diversification and an overall increase in sales.

In short, if you are an instructor considering a text for you upcoming course, I strongly recommend Ashcroft. The physics hasn't changed since the book was introduced, though the applications have.


very good book   December 6, 2009
a reviewer
This is still one of the best books on Solid-State Physics. Very well written, easy to follow and with a wide range of topics. I would suggest it to any student interested in learning the basics.