Undergraduate Course: Introduction to Condensed Matter Physics (PHYS10099)
Course Outline
| School | School of Physics and Astronomy |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | The course covers the properties of crystalline solids and other phases of condensed matter. The focus is on developing an understanding of the structural, mechanical, thermal and electrical properties of solids and on gaining a sense for typical orders of magnitude of the relevant physical quantities. The concepts developed in this course will be illustrated with and applied to examples mostly from hard but also soft condensed matter physics. The overall aim is to give a firm grounding in the core concepts, which can be developed further and applied in SH/IM optional courses on condensed matter physics. |
| Course description |
Crystal Structures
- symmetry properties
- crystal systems & Bravais lattices
- crystal planes & Miller indices
Diffraction
- diffraction as a Fourier transform process
- structure factors and diffraction intensities
- atomic scattering factors
- systematic absences
- diffraction from crystalline and non-crystalline substances
Chemical Bonding and Interactions
- van der Waals interaction
- crystal energetics
- van der Waals, ionic, metallic and covalent crystals
Phonons
- phonons as elementary excitations
- dispersion relations
- thermal properties of insulators: heat capacity, thermal conductivity, thermal expansion
Electrons in Solids
- free and nearly-free electron Fermi gas
- electronic band structures
- thermal and electrical properties of metals
- Fermi surfaces
Dispersion Relations
- phonons
- electronic bands
Semiconductors
- band filling
- band gaps
- intrinsic semiconductors and doping
- electrical conductivity of semiconductors
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2021/22, Available to all students (SV1)
|
Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 22,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 20,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Revision Session Hours 4,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
50 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
80 %,
Coursework
20 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
20% Coursework
80% Examination
|
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
|
| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key concepts of CMP,
- demonstrate knowledge and understanding of quantum effects in solids,
- solve problems in CMP in the realms of real and reciprocal space,
- interpret experimental data from measurements of condensed matter properties,
- demonstrate knowledge of typical orders of magnitude of physical quantities in CMP.
|
Reading List
| Introduction to Solid State Physics, Charles Kittel, Wiley, 7th (1995) or later edition |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | ICMP |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Ingo Loa
Tel: (0131 6)51 7212
Email: I.Loa@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Rachel Ord
Tel:
Email: Rachel.Ord@ed.ac.uk |
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