General Information

Survey of the physics of solids starting with crystal structures and the band theory of electrons and phonons. Selected topics from semiconductors, magnetism, superconductivity, spin liquids, disordered materials, topology, and mesoscopic physics. The focus is to enable graduate research at the current frontiers of condensed matter physics.

Prerequisites

undergraduate statistical mechanics, and familiarity with graduate-level quantum mechanics. Recommended prerequisite: comprehensive undergraduate solid-state physics course (e.g., PHYS 4454).

Topics Covered

Outcome: Upon completion of the course, skills the students will acquire include (but are not limited to) calculating band structures using tight binding models, calculating the positions and relative intensities of Bragg peaks for X-rays scattering experiments, performing simple calculations of transport coefficients such as conductivity, calculating phonon dispersion curves for different crystal structures, and calculating Berry phases in topological systems.

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