Prof. Ophelia K. C. Tsui      

Department of Physics, Boston University

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PY543 Introduction to Solid State Physics

Lecturer: Ophelia K.C. Tsui
Office: SCI 215, Tel: 8-4669, Email: okctsui@bu.edu.

Prerequisites: PY406 Electromagnetic Field & Waves II, PY410 Statistical Thermodynamics, PY451 Quantum Physics

TF: Dongdong Peng, Email: ddpeng@buphy.bu.edu

Lectures: There will be lectures every Tue & Thur 2:00 - 3:30pm (SCI 115). There will be no class on Feb. 7 and Mar 19. Tentatively, these classes will be made up during the tutorial classes of Jan. 25 and Feb. 15.

Tutorials: Besides Jan. 25 and Feb. 15, there will also be tutorials on the first Friday (2-3pm in SCI B58) after a homework due date. Tentatively, these dates are: Feb. 1, Feb. 22, Mar. 15, Apr. 12, Apr. 26. There will also be a tutorial on Apr. 5 to go over the mid-term exam.

Tentative homework schedule:  HW1: Jan. 24-31; HW2: Feb. 14-Feb. 21; HW3: Mar. 7-14; HW4: Apr. 4-11; HW5: Apr. 18-Apr. 25.

Course Objective
     This course aims at providing an introduction to some basic concepts in Solid State Physics. These include crystal structure; lattice vibrations; Sommerfeld free-electron models; electron energy bands; Fermi surface; semi-classical model of electron dynamics; electron transport in semiconductors; superconductivity.

Recommended Text
“Solid State Physics”, N. W. Ashcroft and N. D. Mermin (W. B. Saunders Company, 1976).

Reference Text
“Introduction to Solid State Physics”, C. Kittel (John Wiley & Sons, 1986).

Course Grade
     Grades will be based according to homework (50%), a mid-term examination (Mar. 21; 25%) and a final examination (25%).

Click here to download the syllabus.

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Notes on Drude Model    click here  

Notes on Sommerfeld Theory    click here  

Notes on Crystalline Solids    click here  

Notes on Lattice Dynamics    click here  

Notes on Electrons in a Periodic Potential    click here  

Notes on Tight-Binding Method    click here  

Notes on Semiclassical Model of Electron Dynamics    click here  

Notes on Semiconductor Crystals    click here  

Notes on Superconductivity    click here  

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Homework 1 (due Jan. 31, 2013)    problems  

Homework 2 (due Feb. 21, 2013)     problems 

Homework 3 (due Mar. 14, 2013)     problems 

Homework 4 (due Apr. 11, 2013)     problems 

Homework 5 (due Apr. 25, 2013)     problems 

Last revised on 04 January 2013.