UNIVERSITY of DENVER

PHYS 4410

Advanced Condensed Matter Physics I, II

3 credits

 

Davor Balzar

Department of Physics and Astronomy

Physics Building #105, 303-871-2137, balzar@du.edu

http://www.du.edu/~balzar

 

Class schedule: Wednesday 2:00-3:50 PM and Thursday 4:00-4:50 PM 4th floor

 

Office hours: Wednesday and Thursday 11 AM-12 PM

Course description: This course is at senior/graduate level. Topics covered include materials structure and defects, mechanical, thermal, electrical, and magnetic properties, and experimental methods for materials studies. Prerequisites: PHYS 2210(2), PHYS 2220

Required textbook: Charles Kittel, Introduction to Solid State Physics, 8th Edition, Wiley, 2005.

Supplementary texts:

  • J. I. Gersten and F. W. Smith: The Physics and Chemistry of Materials, Wiley, 2001.
  • H. P. Myers: Introductory Solid State Physics, Taylor & Francis, 1990.
  • Frederick C. Brown: The Physics of Solids, Benjamin, 1967.
  • H. M. Rosenberg: The Solid State, Third Edition, 1988.
  • M. A. Omar: Elementary Solid State Physics: Principles and Applications, Addison-Wesley, 1993.
  • Adrianus J. Dekker: Solid State Physics, Prentice-Hall, 1957-1963.
  • John P. McKelvey: Solid State Physics for Engineering and Materials Science, Krieger, 1993.

Actual content variation: Because the course is at an advanced level in the fast-developing field, digressions from the normal curriculum are frequent, with a focus on new breakthroughs in materials and methods.

 

Prerequisites:

  • Basic quantum mechanics
  • Basic thermal (statistical) physics
  • Basic materials science knowledge is helpful

 

 

Specific mathematical capabilities developed and used:

  • None

 

Student evaluation:

  • Activity in class (10 %)
  • Homework and assignments (40 %)
  • Midterm Exam (15 %)
  • Final exam (35 %)

 

Important note:

Students must comply with University Honor Code (http://www.du.edu/honorcode/). Plagiarism is a serious offense and a basis for failing the course.

 

 

Schedule

 

Week

Topic

1

Crystal Structure

2

Reciprocal Lattice

3

Crystal Binding and Elastic Constants

4

Phonons I

5

Phonons II

6

Free Electron Fermi Gas

7

Energy Bands

8

Semiconductors

9

Fermi Surfaces and Metals

10

Plasmons, Polaritons, and Polarons

11

Optical Processes and Excitons

12

Superconductivity

13

Dielectrics and Ferroelectrics I

14

Dielectrics and Ferroelectrics II

15

Diamagnetism and Paramagnetism

16

Ferromagnetism and Antiferromagnetism

17

Magnetic Resonance

18

Noncrystalline Solids

19

Surface and Interface Physics I

20

Surface and Interface Physics II