Modern electronic devices and novel materials often derive their extraordinary properties from the intriguing, complex behavior of large numbers of electrons forming what is known as an electron liquid. This book provides an in-depth introduction to the physics of the interacting electron liquid in a broad variety of systems, including metals, semiconductors, artificial nano-structures, atoms and molecules. One, two and three dimensional systems are treated separately and in parallel. Different phases of the electron liquid, from the Landau Fermi liquid to the Wigner crystal, from the Luttinger liquid to the quantum Hall liquid are extensively discussed. Both static and time-dependent density functional theory are presented in detail. Although the emphasis is on the development of the basic physical ideas and on a critical discussion of the most useful approximations, the formal derivation of the results is highly detailed and based on the simplest, most direct methods.

'All in all, this is an excellent book with the bonus of a useful selection of exercises to test the reader's understanding. … for those with stamina, and a zest for getting to the bottom of how nature really operates, study of this book will certainly repay the effort.'

Source: Chemistry World

'This book contains a wealth of information that will repay diligent study, much of it not to be found together in any other graduate textbook.'

Source: The Times Higher Education Supplement

'The book, unquestionably attractive to the more experienced reader… is an invaluable source of material for many-body theory as a part of condensed matter physics graduate courses. The book contains sophisticated and important concepts, such as spin-dependant effective electronic interactions, a subject virtually impossible to find in other textbooks. Every graduate student and researcher studying condensed matter theory should obtain a copy of this exceptional text.'

Source: Physics Today