Course Information

PH575 Introduction to Solid State Physics, or an equivalent course in solid state physics.

The following questions are addressed during this 5 week module:

• How are quantum effects such as the Pauli exclusion principle and electron wave interference manifested in solid state systems?
• How does classical behavior such as bulk resistivity emerge from the underlying quantum mechanical description of electrons.
• At what doping level does a semiconductor become a metal, a what level of disorder does a conductor become an insulator?
• What are the “quantum engineering” principles that go into tunneling devices and superconducting devices?

Other student learning goals include:

• recognizing connections between course material and current research.
• articulating (writing/talking) arguments for/against physical models.
• confidence to read scientific articles.
• appreciating the breadth and beauty of electron transport phenomena.

Janet Tate, Office hours: By appointment

Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 2pm to 3.20pm in 275 Weniger Hall (link to OSU course catalog). Update 4/1: Mondays and Fridays Weniger 285 and Wednesdays in Yunker Library.

This is a 2-credit, 5-week course, therefore, we meet 4 hours per week.

Reading assignments are from several textbooks. No single graduate level text book does justice to solid state physics because on the timescale of 10 years, new subfields are created and older subfields are revitalized with new experimental and computational techniques. Fundamentals are best covered by Ashcroft and Mermin (the first-and-only edition is a classic from 1976). Coverage of newer topics is found in Kittel, 8th edition (but not the earlier ones, which are fine for everything else). You should own or have access to copies of both.

Required

• EITHER “Solid State Physics” by Ashcroft and Mermin (there is only one edition), try www.amazon.com for a good price.
• OR “Introduction to Solid State Physics” by Kittel, 8th edition.

Other books where the instructor finds useful material.

• “Mesoscopic Physics” by Cees Harmans
• “Solid-State Physics” by Ibach & Luth
• “Condensed Matter Physics” by Marder, 1st edition (2nd edition might come out soon)
• “Physics of semiconductor devices” by Sze
• “Electronic structure of materials” by Sutton (there is only one edition)
• “The electronic properties of disordered metals” by Dugdale
• “Conduction in Non-Crystalline Materials” by Mott

See Syllabus & Resources and individual lecture pages.

Choose a relevant topic that you would like to learn more about. Write a paper and prepare a 30-minute presentation. Include the following elements:

• A thorough review of the classic texts, with a tutorial approach in mind
• The most recent research literature on the topic or related topics
• Numbers that give the reader an idea of the scale of the quantities you discuss
• A good bibliography that includes review and tutorial articles and research articles
• Uniqueness - no topic should overlap that of another class member. You will decide jointly about topics - all of you have to be interested in the others' topics
• Length: no maximum. 10-page minimum?
• Presentation: 30 minutes including at least 5 minutes for questions
• Optional: a tentative homework problem and solution that would be good for future years

Homework is due on Fridays at 5 pm. Please suggest homework assignments if you find a particular problem you'd like to work on. I'd like to suggest that everyone present at least one homework solution to the class in the term.

The final exam is on Thursday morning of week 6 (or a mutually agreed-upon time in week 6) and lasts 2 hours. You may prepare an equation/note sheet - a single side of a standard sheet of paper. Please turn this in with your exam. You may also bring with you the “Frequently used constants” available at the NIST website. The exam will cover all the topics discussed in class, homework, and reading. I will also include one question which asks you about the projects of the other people in the class, based on the posted presentation and talk.

Students with documented disabilities who may need accommodation, who have any medical information which the instructor should know of, or who need special arrangements in the event of evacuation, should make an appointment to discuss their needs with the instructor as early as possible, and no later than the first week of the term.

Accommodations for students with disabilities are determined and approved by Disability Access Services (DAS). If you, as a student, believe you are eligible for accommodations but have not obtained approval please contact DAS immediately at 541-737-4098 or at http://ds.oregonstate.edu. DAS notifies students and faculty members of approved academic accommodations and coordinates implementation of those accommodations. Although not required to, students and faculty members are encouraged to discuss details of the implementation of individual accommodations.

All students are expected to abide strictly by the Oregon State University Conduct Code. In particular, in the classroom, we should recognize that science is inherently a social and collaborative effort, each scientist building on the work of others. Nevertheless, each student must ultimately be responsible for his or her own education. Therefore, you are expected to abide by a number of ground rules:

• We encourage students to work with classmates, other students, and the faculty. However, you are expected to do this in a professional and responsible fashion. Each student is expected to turn in assignments that have been independently synthesized and written. This applies also to, and especially to, computer assignments. Ask questions and discuss, but never simply copy answer without providing your own synthesis and interpretation. Likewise, help your peers by discussing and explaining, not simply providing an answer to be copied.
• Homework solutions from previous years are very strictly off-limits. You are on your honor not to use them, and never to share your homework solutions with other students, now or in the future. Likewise, the solutions are for your personal use only. You may keep one copy in your personal files.
• Sources must be appropriately documented. If you follow a line of reasoning from another text, reference it properly (it will help you locate the resource later, too). If someone else helps you solve a problem, reference that too. In a research paper, the appropriate reference would be: Jane Doe, (private communication).