Introduction to the theoretical sold-state physics

Alex Tsyplyatyev, WS 2018/2019

Lectures: 3 hours per week on Wednesdays, 08.30-11:00
Room: Phys 02.116a,b
First week: 17.10.2018
Last week: 13.02.2019 (15 weeks of lectures in total, 3 weeks of Christmas vacation 24.12.2018-12.01.2019)

Tutorials: 2 hours per week, 2 groups
Tutorial manager: Mr. Roman Smit/Mr. Arthur Scammell
Tutors: Mr. Arthur Scammell/Mr. Roman Smit and Mr. Max Hansen
Group 1: Wed 14:00-16:00 (Scammell/Smit) and Group 2: Thur 08:00-10:00 (Hansen)
Room: Phys 01.114 (Wed) and Phys 01.114 (Thur)

Announcements

The tutorial classes start on Wednesday the 24th of October.

The list of students in each tutorial group can be found here.

The exam takes place on Friday March 08th in the room 02.116a,b at 11:00.

The 2nd exam takes place on Wednesday March 27th in the room 02.116a,b at 11:00. Don't forget to register with the Prüfungsamt as early as possible!

Lecture notes

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Complete lecture notes

Problem sheets

1. Matrix diagonalization, Born-Oppenheimer approximation
2. Ground states of particles on two-dimensional lattices, Hexagonal close-packed structure
3. Reciprocal lattice, Lattice planes, Bravais lattices in reciprocal space
4. Monatomic two-dimensional lattice, Normal modes of a three-dimensional crystal
5. Linear chain, Specific heat, Heisenberg picture
6. Thermal expansion of a crystal, Low-temperature specific heat for non-linear dispersion laws, van Hove singularities
7. Free electron gas, Dirac delta potential
8. The Kronig-Penny model, Periodic potentials in one dimension
9. Periodic potentials in one dimension, energy bands near Bragg plane, Fermi surface near Bragg plane
10. Density of levels for a two-band model, Kronig-Penney model in tight-binding approximation, Tight-binding dispersion and van Hove singularities
11. Statistics and specific heat of Semiconductors, classical Hall effect
12. Bloch oscillations, Damped dynamics
13. Conductivity in tight binding, conductivity in the presence of a position- and time dependent field
14. Thermoelectric effect in metals, Hartree-Fock effective mass

Content of the course

1. Introduction: what it is and where we can find it
2. Periodic structures
3. Crystal vibrations (phonons)
4. Thermodynamics of free electrons in a solid body
5. Dynamics and transport of free electrons in a solid body
6. Electron-electron interactions

Literature

• C. Kittel, Introduction to Solid State Physics, 7th edition, John Wiley, Toronto, 1996. (main book)
• N. W. Ashcroft and N. D. Mermin, Solid State Physics, Brooks/Cole, Belmont, 1976.
• G. D. Mahan, Condensed Matter in a Nutshell, Princeton University Press, Princeton, 2011.