Physics 463: Solid State Physics

Textbook

Elementary Solid State Physics by M. Ali Omar.  There are lots of supplementary reading sources to get a different view of the various topics that we will cover.  The library has a surprisingly good selection of solid state books. The BIG classic elementary solid state text is by Kittel; it has some good sections but overall I do not like it as a main text.

Course Goal

To provide a introductory understanding of the concepts and principles of solid state physics.  I aim to emphasize the physical concepts that lead to important “information-age” devices such as the transistor and the diode laser.

Prerequisites

Thermodynamics (PHYS361) and Theoretical Physics II (PHYS311).

Grading

Your final grade for the course will be determined by the following prescription:

 Homework:______30 % 
 Test 1__________15%
 Test 2__________15%
 Test 3__________15% 
 Comprehensive final exam  25%

The homework is an important part of this course. Because the book does not always have a sufficient depth of problems, some of the homework assignments will not be from the book.  I will hand out printed sheets that have the homework problems from the book and any extra problems as appropriate.  I also intend to try to work in an examination of papers from the research literature to see how what we learn in class applies to recent (or perhaps some classic) research results.  This will likely involve you reading a paper that I hand out and then discussing it in the next class.  I will be working on this as the semester goes along so I will keep you informed.

The three tests will be 50 minute in-class affairs over the material covered since the last test.
The final exam is comprehensive over the material covered in class and in the homework. 

The course outline gives a general guide of the topics to be covered and an approximate schedule. The dates on which the homework assignments are also listed, although they are subject to minor change (to a later date). The test dates listed will not change.

Monday	Wednesday	Friday
	Jan. 6 Introduction	Jan. 8 Crystal Structure and SymmetryReading: Chapter 1
Jan. 11 Crystal Structure and SymmetryReading: Chapter 1	Jan. 13 Crystal Structure and SymmetryReading: Chapter 1	Jan. 15 Crystal Structure and SymmetryReading: Chapter 1
Jan. 18 Martin Luther KingHoliday	Jan. 20 Crystal Structure and SymmetryReading: Chapter 1	Jan. 22 Expt’l Techniques to measure crystal structureReading Chapter 2
Jan. 25 Expt’l Techniques to measure crystal structureReading Chapter 2Home work set 1 due	Jan. 27 Expt’l Techniques to measure crysta structureReading Chapter 2	Jan. 29 Expt’l Techniques to measure crystal structureReading Chapter 2
Feb. 1 PhononsReading Chapter 3 Home work set 2 due	Feb. 3 PhononsReading Chapter 3	Feb. 5 Test 1
Feb. 8 PhononsReading Chapter 3	Feb. 10 PhononsReading Chapter 3	Feb. 12 PhononsReading Chapter 3
Feb. 15 Free-electron model of metalsReading Chapter 4Home work set 3 due	Feb. 17 Free-electron model of metalsReading Chapter 4	Feb. 19 Free-electron model of metalsReading Chapter 4
Feb. 22 Free-electron model of metalsReading Chapter 4	Feb. 24 Electron Band StructureReading Chapter 5	Feb. 26 Electron Band StructureReading Chapter 5
Mar. 1 Electron Band StructureReading Chapter 5Home work set 4 due	Mar. 3 Electron Band StructureReading Chapter 5	Mar. 5 Electron Band StructureReading Chapter 5
Mar. 8 SemiconductorsReading Chapter 6Home work set 5 due	Mar. 10 Test 2	Mar. 12 SemiconductorsReading Chapter 6
Monday	Wednesday	Friday
Mar. 15, Mar. 17, Mar. 19SPRING BREAK
Mar. 22 SemiconductorsReading Chapter 6	Mar. 24 SemiconductorsReading Chapter 6	Mar. 26 HOLIDAY
Mar. 29 SemiconductorsReading Chapter 6	Mar. 31 Semiconductor DevicesReading Chapter 7	Apr. 2 Holiday: No Classes
Apr. 5 Semiconductor DevicesReading Chapter 7Homework set 6 due	Apr. 7 Semiconductor DevicesReading Chapter 7	Apr. 9 Semiconductor DevicesReading Chapter 7
Apr. 12 Optical PropertiesReading Chapter 8	Apr. 14 Optical PropertiesReading Chapter 8	Apr. 16 Optical PropertiesReading Chapter 8
Apr. 19 Optical PropertiesHomework set 7 due	Apr. 21 Test 3	Apr. 23 Special Topics
Apr. 26 Special Topics	Apr. 28 Finals week starts	Apr. 30 Finals week, yet again.
May 5 Final Exam	Summer	Summer…