Year:12/13
Department:Physics
Level:Part II (yr 3)
Learning Hours:150
Credit Points:15
Weight:0.5
Course Convenor:Dr JR Prance
Status:Live
Syllabus Rules
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Prior to PHYS313, the student must have successfully completed:
Assessment Rules
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CMod description
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Review of ideas of electronic band structure. Phonons,
acoustic and optic modes in 1-D model. Ideas of 3-D phonons, heat capacity of
solids in Debye model. Thermal conduction in solids, phonon scattering
processes. Magnetic properties of materials, para- dia- and ferro-magnetism,
Curie-Weiss mean field approach. Dielectric properties, ferroelectrics.
Superconductivity.
Curriculum Design: Outline Syllabus
back to topReciprocal lattice and diffraction of waves. Electrons and electronic band structure in metals, insulators and semiconductors. Tightbinding and nearly-free electron models. Electrons in metals. Fermi energy and Fermi surface. Electron scattering processes.
Electrons in semiconductors. Effective mass. Holes. Intrinsic and extrinsic behaviour. Junctions and devices Low dimensional structures, interfaces, Qwell, MQW & superlattices, Qdots Optical properties, excitons, impurities, radiative and non-radiative recombination Cyclotron resonance & magnetic effects, Landau levels Quantum Hall effect. Phonons. Acoustic and optic modes.
Heat capacity of solids. Thermal conductivity of insulators. Phonon scattering processes. Superconductivity. Meissner effect Metallic and high Tc superconductors. Summary of experimental phenomena. Tunnelling. Josephson Junctions. Outline of BCS theory.
Educational Aims: Subject Specific: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills
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The module aims to provide a general introduction to theoretical and experimental topics in solid state physics at a more advanced level than covered in the 2nd year module Thermal and Structural Properties of Matter
Learning Outcomes: Subject Specific: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills
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Knowledge and Understanding: on successful completion of the module students should be able to
(i) describe the main features of the physics of electrons in solids;
(ii) describe the main features of the optical properties of solids
(iii) describe the main features of crystal lattices and phonons;
(iv) describe the main features of the thermal properties of solids;
(v) describe major pieces of experimental evidence supporting the key theoretical ideas, including the experimental techniques used;
Skills: on successful completion of the module students should be able to
(i) perform simple calculations of physically observable quantities relevant to the subject;
(ii) solve problems based on the application of the general principles of solid state physics
Curriculum Design: Select Bibliography
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Kittel, Introduction to Solid State Physics
