%0 Journal Article %T On wave propagation in inhomogeneous systems %A A. Modinos %A N. Stefanou %A I. E. Psarobas %A V. Yannopapas %J Physics %D 2001 %I arXiv %R 10.1016/S0921-4526(00)00795-X %X We present a theory of electron, electromagnetic, and elastic wave propagation in systems consisting of non-overlapping scatterers in a host medium. The theory provides a framework for a unified description of wave propagation in three-dimensional periodic structures, finite slabs of layered structures, and systems with impurities: isolated impurities, impurity aggregates, or randomly distributed impurities. We point out the similarities and differences between the different cases considered, and discuss the numerical implementation of the formalism. %U http://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0102271v1