Concepts in Condensed Matter Physics

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

1. 1. Utilise the concept of reciprocal space in the context of diffraction, electronic structure and lattice dynamics.
2. 2. Discuss the properties of material classes such as crystals, polymers, liquids and glasses according to their structure, and describe common crystal structures.
3. 3. Appraise the role of electronic structure in the basic mechanisms of electrical conductivity.
4. 4. Discuss the interaction of solids with magnetic fields and distinguish dia-, para- and ferromagnetism.
5. 5. Analyse the magnetic properties of solids in terms of collective magnetic phenomena.
6. 6. Assess the thermal properties of crystal lattices using the Einstein and Debye models and predict their dispersion relations and heat capacities.

This course provides the physics behind the atomic, electronic and magnetic structure of materials, their lattice dynamics and mechanical and thermal properties. Starting from descriptions of crystal structures, concepts such as reciprocal space, energy bands, collective magnetism and phonons are introduced.

Crystal structures:
- Important structure types
- Lattice planes and Miller indices
- Bragg diffraction theory
- Reciprocal lattice
- Brillouin zones

Electronic structure and semiconductors:
- Band theory of solids.
- Metals, insulators and semiconductors
- Fermi level
- Valence and conduction bands
- Direct and indirect band gaps
- Intrinsic and extrinsic conductivity
- Doping
- Densities of states (electronic)
- Effective mass
- Diffusion of carriers

Lattice dynamics, mechanical and thermal properties:
- Interatomic potentials and mechanical properties
- Elasticity and thermal expansion
- Lattice vibrations, phonons
- Dispersion relations
- Heat capacity
- Debye and Einstein models

Magnetic states of matter:
- Diamagnetism
- Paramagnetism
- Magnetic ordering
- Ferromagnetic domains
- Other collective phenomena

This module is at CQFW Level 6