Polarized Electrons

This book deals with the physics of spin-polarized free electrons. Many aspects of this rapidly expanding field have been treated in review articles, but to date a self-contained monograph has not been available. In writing this book, I have tried to oppose the current trend in science that sees specialists writing primarily for like-minded specialists, and even physicists in closely related fields understanding each other less than they are inclined to admit. I have attempted to treat a modern field of physics in a style similar to that of a textbook. The presentation should be intelligible to readers at the graduate level, and while it may demand concentration, I hope it will not require decipher- ing. If the reader feels that it occasionally dwells upon rather elementary topics, he should remember that this pedestrian excursion is meant to be reasonably self-contained. It was, for example, necessary to give a simple introduction to the Dirac theory in order to have a basis for the discussion of Mott scattering-one of the most important techniques in polarized- electron studies.