Thermal Properties of Solids at Room and Cryogenic Temperatures [Paperback]

The minimum temperature in the natural universe is 2.7 K. Laboratory refrigerators can reach temperatures in the microkelvin range. Modern industrial refrigerators cool foods at 200 K, whereas space mission payloads must be capable of working at temperatures as low as 20 K. Superconducting magnets used for NMR work at 4.2 K.
Hence the properties of materials must be accurately known also at cryogenic temperatures.

This book provides a guide for engineers, physicists, chemists, technicians who wish to approach the field of low-temperature material properties. The focus is on the thermal properties and a large spectrum of experimental cases is reported. The book presents updated tables of low-temperature data on materials and a thorough bibliography supplements any further research.
Key Features include:

? Detailed technical description of experiments
? Description of the newest cryogenic apparatus
? Offers data on cryogenic properties of the latest new materials
? Current reference review

General Introduction. The need of thermal properties.
1) Theoretical background
1.1 Specific heat; 1.2 Thermal expansion; 1.3 Thermal conductivity; 1.4 Interrelations among thermal properties
2) Measurements of Thermal conductivity
2.1 Physical problems in low-temperature measurements; 2.2 Methods above 4 K; 2.3 Example of measurement: amorphous material; 2.4 Example of measurement. metallic alloys; 2.5 Methods below 4 K; 2.6 Example of measurement: amorphous material; 2.7 Example of measurement: pure metals; 2.8 Example of measurement: metallic alloys and superconductors
3) Measurements of heat capacity
3.1 Physical problems in low-temperature measurements; 3.2 Methods; 3.3 Examples of measurement: amorphous material; 3.4 Examples of measurement: semiconductor
4) Measurements of thermal expansion
4.1 PhylŠ