PHY-550 | School of Physics and Astronomy

General
Aims and Objectives
Syllabus
Marking Scheme
Homework
Lecture Notes
Past Exam Papers

Welcome to the Solid State Physics (PHY-550) Home Page

Year: 3 | Semester: B | Level: 6 | Units: 1 | Credits: 15

Prerequisites: PHY-215 or equivalent first course in quantum physics
Lectures: 30 | Lec: 12 14 46 (notation)
Exam: 2.5 hour written paper (80%), coursework (20%)
Practical work: none | Ancillary teaching: exercises

Course organiser: Dr Andrei Sapelkin | Course deputy: Dr Mark Baxendale

Kittel, C.
Introduction to Solid State Physics
Wiley, (7th edition, 1995)
ISBN 0-471-11181-3

Ashcroft, N.W., Mermin, N.D.
Solid State Physics
Holt-Saunders, (international edition, 1976)
ISBN 0-03-049346-3

Learning Outcomes

This course aims to provide the description of the physical properties of macroscopic solids that follow from elementary quantum physics. The course aims to convey the role that concepts such as scale, dimensionality, and order play in the behaviour of solids. The key experimental tools for probing solid structures and the controlled fabrication of solids with tailored properties will be outlined. The course is intended to provide final-year students with the essential knowledge of the solid state that is key to many branches of physics, materials science, and engineering.

Upon completion of the course the student will be able to: define: Crystal lattice, lattice vector, primitive cell, unit cell define Bravais lattice and be familiar with common examples in 2D and 3D assign Miller indices to crystal planes; use the concept of Reciprocal lattice and be familiar with the probes of crystal structure; derive an expression for electron density using the free electron Fermi gas model; be familiar with the Fermi-Dirac distribution, its temperature variation, and the concept of Fermi energy; understand the concept of degeneracy; calculate the electronic contribution to heat capacity using the free electron Fermi gas model; be familiar with the concept of reciprocal space (or k-space) and thus be able to derive the Drude expression for electrical conductivity; explain the origin of energy bands in crystals and explain what is meant by the Brillouin zone; express the Bloch theorem and use the concepts for related calculations; define: metal, semiconductor, and insulator in terms of band structure and energy gaps; plot the temperature variation of electrical conductivity for metals, semiconductors, and insulators; explain the significance of the dispersion relation; derive expressions for electron velocity and effective mass in a crystal structure; define intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductor; explain how n- and p-type dopants work; phenomenologically describe the operation of a pn junction; describe molecular beam epitaxy and metal organic chemical vapour deposition; describe the quantum well, quantum dot and the quantum wire.

Syllabus

Lattices ; scattering of X-rays, electrons and neutrons. Electron motion andbands in metals, insulators and semiconductors. Low-dimensional structures, molecular electronics, quantum wells, molecular wires.