SOLID STATE PHYSICS

Prerequisites & course information

Requisites: PHYSICS 205 , 241 , 249 , 448 , 531 , PHYSICS/E C E 235 , or graduate/professional standing Course Designation: Core GenEd - Natural Science & Wellness Breadth - Physical Science Level - Advanced L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Fall 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Utilize ideas of atomic bonding to understand crystal lattice structures and reciprocal space Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Use the reciprocal lattice to determine complex x-ray diffraction patterns Audience: Graduate 3. Become familiar with the calculation of simple phonon dispersion relations and use them to determine lattice thermal properties Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Master the electronic properties of metals in the quantum free-electron model and distinguish insulators, metals, and semiconductors Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Obtain the ability to calculate general band structures in the nearly-free electronic and tight-binding approximations Audience: Graduate 6. Analyze and calculate properties of bulk semiconductors and semiconductor junctions Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 7. Describe quantitatively ordered systems such as ferroelectrics, ferromagnets and superconductors Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 8. Understand the physics of superconducting junctions Audience: Graduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Utilize ideas of atomic bonding to understand crystal lattice structures and reciprocal space Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Use the reciprocal lattice to determine complex x-ray diffraction patterns Audience: Graduate 3. Become familiar with the calculation of simple phonon dispersion relations and use them to determine lattice thermal properties Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Master the electronic properties of metals in the quantum free-electron model and distinguish insulators, metals, and semiconductors Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Obtain the ability to calculate general band structures in the nearly-free electronic and tight-binding approximations Audience: Graduate 6. Analyze and calculate properties of bulk semiconductors and semiconductor junctions Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 7. Describe quantitatively ordered systems such as ferroelectrics, ferromagnets and superconductors Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 8. Understand the physics of superconducting junctions Audience: Graduate