KUK - LMS

Syllabus

MODULE NO / UNIT	COURSE SYLLABUS CONTENTS OF MODULE	NOTES
Course Code: PHY 203 Course Name: Solid State Physics
1	Crystal structure (12 hrs.) Recapitulation of basic concepts: Bravais lattice and Primitive vectors; Primitive, Conventional and Wigner-Seitz unit cells; Crystal structures and lattices with bases; Symmetry operations and fundamental types of lattices; Index system for crystal planes. Determination of crystal structure by diffraction: Reciprocal lattice and Brillouin zones (examples of sc, bcc and fcc lattices); Bragg and Laue formulations of X-ray diffraction by a crystal and their equivalence; Laue equations; Ewald construction; Brillouin interpretation; Crystal and atomic structure factors; Structure factor of the bcc and fcc lattices, Examples of NaCl and diamond; Experimental methods of structure analysis: Types of probe beam, The Laue, rotating crystal and powder methods. Non-crystalline solids: Diffraction pattern; Monatomic amorphous materials; Pair-distribution function.
2	Lattice dynamics and thermal properties (12 hrs.) Binding in solids: Crystals of inert gases, Lennard-Jones potential; Qualitative idea of Ionic, Covalent and Metallic binding. Classical theory of lattice vibration (in harmonic approximation): Vibrations of crystals with monatomic basis- Dispersion relation, First Brillouin zone, Group velocity; Two atoms per primitive basis- dispersion of acoustical and optical modes. Quantization of lattice waves: Phonons, Phonon momentum, Inelastic scattering of neutrons by phonons. Thermal properties: Lattice (phonon) heat capacity; Normal modes; Density of states in one and three dimensions; Models of Debye and Einstein; Effects due to anharmonic crystal interactions; Thermal expansion; Thermal conductivity.
3	Electronic properties of solids (12 hrs.) Failure of the free electron gas model; Band theory of solids: Nearly free electron model, Energy gap; Periodic potential and Bloch's theorem; Kronig-Penney model; Wave equation of electron in a periodic potential, Solution of the central equation, Approximate solution at and near a zone boundary; Periodic, extended and reduced zone schemes of energy band representation; Number of orbitals in a band; Classification into metals, semiconductors and insulators. Calculation of energy bands: Tight binding method and its application to sc and bcc structures; Wigner-Seitz method, Cohesive energy; Pseudo-potential methods (qualitative idea).
4	Superconductivity (12 hrs.) Experimental survey: Superconductivity and its occurrence, Destruction of superconductivity by magnetic fields, Meissner effect, Type I and type II superconductors, Entropy, Free energy, Heat capacity, Energy gap, Microwave and infrared properties, Isotope effect; Theoretical survey: Thermodynamics of the superconducting transition, London equation, Coherence length; Microscopic theory: Qualitative features of the BCS theory, BCS ground state wave function; Quantitative predictions of the BCS theory, critical temperature, energy gap, critical field, specific heat; Flux quantization in a superconducting ring; Dc and Ac Josephson effects; Macroscopic long-range quantum interference; High Tc superconductors (introduction only).