Syllabus: Atomic, Molecular and Condensed Matter Physics, Phy491, Fall 2008

Credits: Total Credits: 3   Lecture/Recitation/Discussion Hours: 3 Prerequisite: (PHY 471 and PHY 410) and completion of Tier I writing requirement Description: Many-electron atoms. Molecules, crystal structure, lattice dynamics. Band models of metals and semiconductors. Transport properties.

INSTRUCTOR: Carlo Piermarocchi, room 4263 Biomedical & Physical Sciences, Telephone: 4-5631 Email: carlo@pa.msu.edu. Office hours: Wednesday 9:30am-12:30am. Call or email to schedule an appointment at other times.

Text: Textbook: Ashcroft and Mermin, Solid State Physics. Additional reading from review papers and books in the library will be recommended during the lectures.

Course Structure: 2 meetings per week on Monday and Wednesday: 1:40pm to 2:55pm. Room 1308 BPS.

The schedule of the lectures is here.

You can get an idea of the topics we will discuss during the semester by looking at what we have done last year here  (2007 topics).

Homepage: http://www.pa.msu.edu/courses/current/PHY491/

Grading:

Individual Homework: We will give out individual homework problems during the semester. There will be credit for the homework - problem sets will be available at least a week before they are due. The worst 2 homework assignments will not count towards your final grade.

Group assignments:  The course is organized in the Problem Based Learning format. Students are required to be engaged in group activities and take control of their learning process during the class and in meetings outside the class. The informal groups are composed by 3 or 4 students. The groups are chosen by the students. You can decide to work with the same group or change group during the semester, just remember to sign your name on every group assignment that you return to get the credit (group grade). 

Midterm Exams: There will be two midterm exams, on Wed October 1th and on Wed November 12th. If you miss either one or both the midterms and provide a valid excuse (a written note from a doctor, dean etc.) your final exam will be multiplied by 13/9 if you miss one midterm, and by 13/5 if you miss both midterms.

Final Exam: The final exam will be on Thursday December 11th from 12:45 pm until 2:45 pm. The final exam will cover everything we have done, but with a slight emphasis on the last third of the course. You must take the final and if you miss it due to a valid excuse (see above) you will have to take a make-up, otherwise you will get a 0.0 for the course.
 
Final Grades: Grades are based on the following formula:

 

%

First Midterm

20

Second Midterm

20

Group Work

15

Homework

20

Final Exam

25

TOTAL

100

The guaranteed scale may be lowered in your favor but not raised is:

Total point percentage

Final grade 

>93%

4.0

88%-93%

3.5

83%-88%

3.0

78%-83%

2.5

73%-78%

2.0

68%-73%

1.5

60%-68%

1.0

<50%

0.0