Course Information for Physics 518
Introduction to Solid State Physics
Spring 2003

The graphic illustrates the folding of a graphite sheet to form a carbon nanotube.

Index

• General
• Class Meetings
• Instructors
• Required Texts
• Homework Assignments
• Examinations

General

Physics 518 is an introductory course for students who have had little or no prior introduction to condensed matter physics. To take this course you should have completed courses in electrodynamics and quantum mechanics (e.g. at the advanced undergraduate level), and should be familiar with basic concepts in statistical mechanics (also at the undergraduate level). I think the course will be accessible to undergraduate majors in physics, and well prepared graduate students from materials science and from chemistry.

A tenative schedule for the spring lectures (updated 1/12) is available.

A log of topics discussed in lecture is kept here

Class Meetings

MWF 12 DRL/2C4


+problem discussion section

We will try to arrange an additional meeting time on Tuesdays to discuss homework assignments, and to make up lectures that will be missed during the travel week of March 3.

Instructor

• Prof. Gene Mele, Department of Physics
  David Rittenhouse Laboratory 2N17a
  Telephone: (215) 898-3135 FAX: (215) 898-2010
  Scheduled Office Hours: T 1-3 PM, R 10-12 AM, or by appointment.
  e-mail inquiries: mele@dept.physics.upenn.edu

Required Text:

• Introduction to Solid State Physics, 7th ed. Charles Kittel (Wiley, 1996)
  This will be the "primary" text for the course.

  We will follow the order of topics presented in Kittel's text, with the coursework supplemented by our lecture notes at a slightly more advanced level.

  Auxiliary Texts and Recommended Reading:

• Solid State Physics, 7th ed., Neil Ashcroft and N. David Mermin (HBC, 1976)
  This text gives a deeper treatment of most (but not all) the topics that we will cover. The course syllabus crosslists the sections of A&M that are most relevant to each block of lecture material.

• Introductory Solid State Physics, H. Peter Myers (Cambridge).
  This is a reasonably concise text (e.g. it is much more compact than Ashcroft and Mermin) but it provides more detailed discussion than found in Kittel's ISSP.

• Principles of Condensed Matter Physics, Paul Chaikin and Tom Lubensky (Cambridge, 1995).
  Graduate text on symmetry principles, order and fluctuations in various condensed phases of matter.

• Optical Properties of Solids, Frederick Wooten (Academic Press, 1972)
  Lots of very useful information about electrodynamics and dielectric properties of solids.

• Elementary Excitations in Solids, David Pines (W. A. Benjamin, 1964)
  Introductory reference for many body effects in condensed matter physics.

• Superconductivity of Metals and Alloys, P.G. de Gennes (Addison Wesley,1989)
  An easy to read excellent introduction to superconductivity.

Homework Assignments:

A weekly homework set will be assigned and will be collected for grading. We will (hope to) have a discussion section for the homework on the Tuesdays before the homeworks are collected.

You can link to the first homework assignment set due January 22 here.
Solution set 1.

You can link to the second homework assignment set due January 29 here.
Solution set 2.

You can link to the third homework assignment set due February 5 here.
Solution set 3.

You can link to the fourth homework assignment set due February 14 here.
Solution Set 4.

You can link to the fifth homework assignment set due February 26 here.
Solution Set 5.

You can link to the sixth homework assignment set (not collected for grading) here.
Solution Set 6.

You can link to the seventh homework assignment set due March 26 here.
Solution Set 7.

You can link to the eighth homework assignment set due April 2 here.
Solution Set 8.

You can link to the ninth homework assignment set due April 9 here.
Solution Set 9.

You can link to the tenth homework assignment set due April 16 here.
Solution Set 10.

You can link to the eleventh homework assignment set due April 23 here.
Solution Set 11.

You can link to the twelfth homework assignment set (not collected) here.
Solution Set 12.

Examinations:

Solutions to the midterm exam are posted here.

Homework Set 11 (due 4/23) is the LAST homework set collected for grading.

During the reading period, we will continue with regular class meetings on Monday (4/28) and Wednesday (4/30) for make up lectures; these will be used for a discussion of superconductivity. This work will *not* be included on the final exam.

We will hold our regular recitation on Tuesday 4/29 during the reading period to discuss any questions you might have about homework assignments/course material etc. in preparation for the final exam.

The Final Exam is scheduled for Friday, May 2 from 11 AM - 1PM in DRL/A7 (Thanks to Vivian for getting a room reserved at 11 AM for us.) The final exam will be a two hour written exam covering all the topic in the course (crystallography -> semiconductors). Good preparation for the final is to review the homeworks and the first midterm exam. I've also posted final exams from Spring 2001 and from Spring 2002 for practice.

The final exam will test your general knowledge in Solid State Physics, and will consist of short qualitative or semiquantitative questions (don't expect to be asked to solve analytically formidable problems like the spectrum of the delta function lattice during the exam time for example.) I will distribute examination white books for you to write your solutions. I won't supply a formula sheet. Instead you can prepare a one page note sheet containing any information (formulae, conversion factors, hard-to-remember facts) to which you can refer during the exam.

Course Grades:

The homeworks, midterm and final will be weighted equally in the determination of your course grade.