IntRoduction to solid state physics

 Fundamentals of Solid State Physics

Course Schedule:

Week 1: Introduction to Solid State Physics

• Overview of solid state physics and its significance in materials science

  • Reading: Chapter 1 - "Introduction"

Week 2: Crystal Structures

• Crystal lattices, unit cells, and symmetry

• Miller indices and common crystal structures

  • Reading: Chapter 1 - "Crystal Structure"

Week 3: Diffraction of X-rays by Crystals

• Bragg’s law and reciprocal lattice

• X-ray diffraction and crystallography

  • Reading: Chapter 2 - "X-ray Diffraction and the Reciprocal Lattice"

Week 4: Crystal Binding

• Types of bonding in solids: ionic, covalent, metallic, and van der Waals

• Energy of crystal structures and cohesive energy

  • Reading: Chapter 3 - "Crystal Binding"

Week 5: Free Electron Theory of Metals

• Drude and Sommerfeld models

• Heat capacity and electrical conductivity of metals

  • Reading: Chapter 6 - "Free Electron Fermi Gas"

Week 6: Energy Bands in Solids

• Bloch’s theorem and band theory

• Conductors, insulators, and semiconductors

  • Reading: Chapter 7 - "Energy Bands"

Week 7: Thermal Properties of Solids

• Phonons and lattice vibrations

• Heat capacity and thermal expansion

  • Reading: Chapter 4 - "Phonons I: Crystal Vibrations"

Week 8: Midterm Exam I

• Covers topics from Weeks 1–7, including crystal structure, bonding, and phonons

Week 9: Lattice Dynamics

• Vibrational modes in solids

• Quantum theory of lattice vibrations and phonons

  • Reading: Chapter 5 - "Phonons II: Thermal Properties"

Week 10: Semiconductors I

• Intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors

• Carrier concentrations, doping, and Fermi levels

  • Reading: Chapter 8 - "Semiconductor Crystals"

Week 11: Semiconductors II

• Electrical conductivity and mobility in semiconductors

• Semiconductor devices and applications

  • Reading: Chapter 8 - "Semiconductor Physics"

Week 12: Metals and Fermi Surfaces

• Fermi energy, density of states, and the Fermi surface

• Electrical and thermal properties of metals

  • Reading: Chapter 9 - "Electrons in Metals"

Week 13: Magnetic Properties of Solids

• Diamagnetism, paramagnetism, and ferromagnetism

• Magnetic domains and the Curie temperature

  • Reading: Chapter 10 - "Magnetic Properties of Solids"

Week 14: Dielectric Properties of Solids

• Polarization, dielectric constant, and piezoelectricity

• Applications of dielectric materials

  • Reading: Chapter 11 - "Dielectric Properties"

Week 15: Final Exam

• Covers all topics from the semester