Unit name | Solid State Physics 3021 |
---|---|
Unit code | PHYS30021 |
Credit points | 20 |
Level of study | H/6 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
Unit director | Dr. Furqaan Yusaf |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
120 credit at Level I/5 in Physics, Physics with Astrophysics, or joint honours programmes in Mathematics and Physics, Physics and Philosophy, or Chemical Physics. |
Co-requisites |
None |
School/department | School of Physics |
Faculty | Faculty of Science |
Electrons in Crystals and Semiconductors and Magnetism.
Brief description of simple crystal structures. Diffraction from periodic structures. The reciprocal lattice for various simple crystal structures. Electrons in crystals: free and nearly free electron theory - one electron approximation. Periodic boundary conditions. Density of states. Application of Fermi-Dirac distribution. Bloch Theorem; Energy bands. Phonons. Energy gaps, Bragg reflection and Brillouin zone boundaries. Reduced, extended and periodic zone schemes. Notion of a Fermi-surface and simple construction. Semi-classical theory of electron transport. Crystal momentum and effective mass. The distinction between metals, semiconductors and insulators. Electrons and holes. Transport in a free electron metal. Electron scattering in metals and semiconductors. Transport in semiconductors. The Hall effect. Elemental and compound semiconductors. Carrier density in intrinsic semiconductors. p- and n- type doping. The p-n junction. The work function and contact potential. Metal-semiconductor junctions. Types of magnetism. Pauli susceptibility. The Stoner model. Domains and the Curie temperature. Brief mention of superconductivity and the Meissner effect.
A pre-requisite for the Level 7 PHYSM0300 The Physics of Phase Transitions, PHYSM1000 Magnetism and Superconductivity and PHYSM2100 Semiconductor Physics.
Aims:
antiferromagnetism, and to understand what gives rise to these phenomena in metals.
Lectures and Problems classes.
Written examination comprising 1 3-hour paper. Attendance at problems classes may contribute to the award of credit points.
Kittel - Introduction to Solid State Physics
Ibach and Luth - Solid State Physics