Teaching
The course offers an introduction of basic concepts in condensed matter physics (the term sometimes interchangeable with ‘solid state physics'), including band electrons, phonons, heat capacity, transport, periodic structure and scattering, metals and semiconductors (insulators), graphene, quantum Hall effect and topological insulator. This course serves as a platform for ‘practical' application of quantum and statistical mechanics in a solid-state context, and precedes Advanced Condensed Matter Physics Ph223ab. The primary goal is to facilitate a mastery of the basic vocabulary and core concepts in the field. While emphasis is placed on theoretical concepts, the course also draws close connections to experimental observations.
Textbooks
Steven H. Simon, The Oxford Solid State Basics (2013) & Steven M. Girvin and Kun Yang, Modern Condensed Matter Physics (2019)
Syllabus
- Lattice vibrations in early days: Boltzmann, Einstein and Debye models
- Electrons in metals in early days: Drude model, Hall effect, plasma frequency
- Electrons in metals as fermions: Fermi surface, Pauli paramagnetism, Sommerfeld expansion, Boltzmann transport, electrical, thermal and thermoelectric transport
- Building blocks of solids: orbitals and bonding
- 1D toy models for phonons and electrons: acoustic and optical phonons, Bloch theorem, electrons and holes
- 2D and 3D structures: Bravais lattices, X-ray and neutron scattering, nearly free electron model
- Primers on symmetries in solids: translation, rotation, reflection, inversion and time reversal symmetries
- Electrons in strong magnetic field: Landau levels, quantum oscillations, quantum Hall effect
- Geometry and topology: Berry curvature, Berry phase and connection, Haldane model and quantum anomalous Hall effect