Physics 307 - Introduction to Condensed Matter Physics

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Gleb Finkelstein, Rm. 093, phone 660-2523, e-mail

Office hours: Wednesday 8:30- 10:00 and after the lectures

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Content

Crystalline lattices.
Electrons in crystals: Bloch electrons; metals, insulators and semiconductors; effective mass approximation.
Semiconductors: doping; p-n junctions; optical absorption; Zener tunneling.
Metals: semiclassical theory of electrons in metals; Landau diamagnetism and Pauli paramagnetism.
Lattice vibrations (phonons): acoustic and optical phonons; lattice vs. electronic specific heat.
Electron transport: Drude model of conductivity and the relaxation time approximation; Boltzman equation.
Special topics: Quantum Hall effect, nanotubes, weak localization (possibly).

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Prerequisites

I will rely on quantum statistics (fermions, bosons) = Statistical Mechanics (PHY 203)

and quantum mechanics (Fermi golden rule, basic scattering theory) = Fundamentals of Quantum Mechanics I, II (PHY 211, 212).

No prior knowledge in Solid State Physics is required.

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Textbooks

The main textbook: J. Ziman, Principles of the Theory of Solids (will be reserved in the library)

Also used:
Ashcroft and Mermin, Solid State Physics,
Kittel, Introduction to Solid State Physics (easy), Quantum Theory of Solids (advanced).

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Graded Material

Problem sets (40%) and final exam (60%).

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Final Exam

Sunday, December 13     2:00 PM - 5:00 PM

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Prepared for Fall 2009, last updated: 2-Sept-2009