Course Syllabus

Physics 971 is a graduate-level Condensed Matter Physics course. Recommended background courses include PHY491, PHY852, PHY841, and PHY831. The real prerequisites are working knowledge of Condensed Matter physics at the level of Kittel and nonrelativistic quantum mechanics. Otherwise, the course will be self-contained. The course attempts to present a sound theoretical framework to describe and understand physical properties of condensed matter, ranging from atomic clusters to solids.

This course will provide the necessary basis for studies in the emerging multidisciplinary field of Nanotechnology. I will try to keep the formal treatment at a minimum and to emphasize the basic understanding of the physical phenomena.

http://www.pa.msu.edu/people/tomanek/PHY971/ contains the updated course information.

Structure of solids. Bravais lattices and reciprocal lattices. Wigner-Seitz cell, Brillouin zones, crystal symmetry, point and space groups. Structure determination by diffraction, structure factors.

Vibrations in solids. Classical and quantum description of the harmonic crystal, phonons. Linear chain and lattice with a basis. Dynamical matrix and dispersion relations for various lattices. Specific heat, Debye and Einstein models.

Electrons in solids. Drude and Sommerfeld model of the free electron gas. Bloch's theorem and nearly free electron gas. Electron bands and Fermi surface in crystals. Kronig-Penney model. Tight-binding method. Classification of solids.

Cohesion in solids. Van der Waals and ionic crystals, Madelung constant. Covalent and metallic bonding within one-electron theory. Elastic constants, stability.

Cooperative phenomena. Introduction to superconductivity and magnetism.

Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays from 11:30 - 12:20 p.m. in Rm. 1300 BPS (Biomedical and Physical Sciences Building). Additional details are given in the semester-specific Schedule.

After class and by appointment.

"Solid State Physics" by N.W. Ashcroft and N.D. Mermin, published by Holt, Rinehart and Winston (1986). The course will cover the material in Chapters 4-7, 22-24, 8-11, and 19-20.

A set of problems will be handed out periodically. You are encouraged to discuss the homework with anyone, but write up the solution by yourself.

To encourage reflection about the material taught, short conceptual pop quizzes will be administered during the course.

There will be a Midterm and a Final exam. The date and location of the Midterm Exam and the Final Exam are posted in the Schedule. The exams will be based on material covered in the lectures and homework. All Exams are closed book exams.

There will be no possibility to make up for missed assignments. When possible, please notify the instructor in advance if you must miss a course requirement, otherwise notify the instructor as soon as possible (within one week) afterwards.

In order for a missed assignment to be excused, you must present to the lecturer within one week a written excuse, dated and signed by you, explicitly stating the circumstances that caused you to miss the homework assignment, exam or pop quiz. This excuse should be verifiable, i.e. accompanied by a written document from a doctor, dean, etc. Excused absences will result in your grade being calculated on the basis of your performance on the other exams and homework.

The Michigan State University Code of Teaching Responsibilities states that any student missing the Final Exam may not be allowed to pass the course.

The grade point average used to determine the final grade will be based on the Homework (30%), Pop Quizzes (10%), the Midterm Exam (20%), and the Final Exam (40%).

Michigan State University takes seriously the opinion of students in the evaluation of the effectiveness of instruction, and has implemented the SIRS (Student Instructional Rating System) process to gather student feedback. This course utilizes the "online SIRS" system. You will receive an e-mail sometime during the last two weeks of class asking you to fill out the SIRS online form at https://sirsonline.msu.edu at your convenience. Please note the final grade for this course will not be accessible on STUINFO for seven days following the University grade submission deadline published by the Office of the Registrar unless the SIRS online form has been filled out. You will have the option in the online SIRS form to decline to participate in the evaluation of the course - I hope, however, that you will be willing to give me your frank and constructive feedback so that I may instruct students even better in the future.