Syllabus PHYS 441, Fall 2009
Physics of Condensed Matter I
Textbook
Condensed Matter Physics,
Michael P. Marder, Wiley 2000, ISBN 0-471-177779-2
Class meeting time and place
MWF 2:00pm - 2:50pm in ROCK 303
Web page
http://www.phys.cwru.edu/courses/p441
Contact info
Walter R. L. Lambrecht
Office: ROCK 104B, phone: 368-6120, email: walter.lambrecht@case.edu
Introduction
This course is the first in a sequence PHYS441-442 dealing with
condensed matter physics. Although I would strongly encourage you to
take both classes, I intend to make this as much
as possible a stand-alone class focused on the basic ideas.
Condensed matter refers to both liquids and solids and
all kinds of other forms of matter in between those two extremes,
generally known as "soft matter". The emphasis of this course will
be on crystalline solids. A separate course on liquid crystals is
being offered in our department for those interested.
The main reason for focusing on
crystals is that the periodicity of a crystal
is what allows us to make progress in developing a theory for
various phenomena in solids based on first principles.
The two most important examples of this are:
- how do we describe the electronic states of electrons in a solid?
- how do we describe the vibrations of atoms around their equilibrium
positions?
The answer to the first question is basically the theory of electronic
band structure including the reasons why a description in terms
of independent, apparently non-interacting electrons works at all.
The answer to the second question is the theory of phonons.
As you will see, there is a great parallel between these two topics
which lies at the core of solid state physics.
These two theories form the starting point for understanding
a wide range of phenomena:
- how the atoms in a solid bond together to form the crystal, and hence
why certain combinations of atoms prefer certain crystal structures,
what are their mechanical and some basis statistical properties like
the specific heat.
- how electrons move in solids, in other words what are the electronic
transport problems, why are some materials metals and other insulators?
- how do solids interact with electromagnetic fields?
what are its electrical, optical and magnetic properties?
PHYS441 will focus on band structure theory, the theory of phonons,
their immediate implications for bonding and thermodynamic
properties and electron dynamics, i.e. how electrons in band states respond
to slowly varying electric and magnetic fields leading to transport.
In PHYS442, we will come back in more detail to transport including
scattering phenomena, thermal conductivity,
the effects of defects in solids, semiconductors,
magnetism and effects beyond the independent
electron model, among which the most intriguing one is superconductivity.
Outline of Topics included in PHYS441
- Crystal structures: periodicity, symmetry, experimental determination,
non-crystalline condensed matter, introduction to group theory
- Electronic states: Sommerfeld model, thermodynamic properties due to free electrons, band structure basic concepts,
Bloch's theorem, density of states, nearly free electron approach
and pseudopotentials,
tight-binding and linear combination of atomic orbital method, modern
band structure methods, justification of independent electron model via density functional theory, application of group theory to energy bands,
experimental approaches to measure band structure
- Vibrations in solids: classical treatment, normal modes, quantum
treatment, phonons, anharmonic effects,
thermodynamic properties related to phonons, continuum approximation and
its relation to elasticity
- Motion of electrons: semiclassical model,
band velocity, effective mass, motion in magnetic field, cyclotron resonance
Final Project
You will do a "hands-on" final project using one of
the modern band structure methods,
the linear muffin-tin orbital (LMTO) method in which you will learn
how to use the code I use in my
research group and how to interpret its results.
Class Participation
Instead of just me presenting lectures, I want you to read ahead of time
so we can have a discussion in class. On a regular basis I will request
you to present short topics based on the assigned readings.
These may involve parts of the textbook, or other references, such as
review or journal articles.
Evaluation
Your grade will be based on:
- Homework assignments (30 %).
Homeworks will be assigned in class or
by email. You are allowed to turn in first attempts at a HW
early before the deadline in which case I will give feedback
and hints but I will only grade the final version. Of course, the earlier
you turn in something or discuss it, the more feedback you can expect.
- Class participation (10 %)
- Midterm test (30 %)
- Final paper (25 %)
- Attendance of
Condensed matter seminar (5 %).
I want you to regularly attend the CMS on mondays (12:30pm-1:30pm)
and pick one from the semester on which you write a brief report.
Follow the above link for the schedule under construction.
Office hours:
You can try my office 104B at any time (typically 9am-6pm).
By following the above link you will be taken to a login page where
you can login with your case network id (e.g. wxl2)
and password. This will authenticate you and allow you to see your current
grade on homeworks, exams, midterm grade etc.
Physics