Study guide - Condensed Matter Physics

The course is following the book by Ashcroft and Mermin fairly closely, but several of the more advanced topics are not included. The material is divided into different levels:

  • Level (1): Study for detailed knowledge
  • Level (2): Study to be able to answer general, descriptive questions on central topics
  • Level (3): Read to understand related material in other chapters
  • LAB: Read to prepare for experimental exercise

flow-chart
The chapters have different requirement on previous reading. This flow-chart display their dependences.

Chapter Reading
1. Drude 2-25 (1) but derivations outside lecture notes (2)
2. Sommerfeld 30-53 (1) but p. 45-46 (2)
3. Failures of free el. 58-62 (2)
4. Crystal lattices 64-82 (1)
5. Reciprocal lattice 86-93 (1)
6. X-ray diffraction 96-108 (1, LAB)
7. Crystal symmetries Lecture notes only
8. Bloch's theorem 132-145 (1) but p. 143-144 (2)
9. Nearly free electrons 152-169 (2)
10. Tight binding 176-188 (2)
11. Computing band str. -
12. Semiclassical dyn. p. 214-229 (3) but 214 (1), 225-227 (2)
13. Semiclassical tr. -
14. Meas. Fermi surface 264-274 (3)
15. Band str. of metals 284-310 (2)
16. Beyond relaxation-time 323 (2)
17. Beyond indep. electron -
18. Surface efffects 354-362 (2)
19. Classification of solids 374-392 (2)
20. Cohesive energy 398-401 (3), 405 (3)
21. Failures of static lattice 416-420 (2)
22. Classical harmonic crystal 422, 428-437 (1), 438 - 443 (3)
23. Quantum harmonic crystal 452-467 (1)
24. Measuring phonons -
25. Anharmonic effects Umklapp, p. 501-503 (2)
26. Phonons in metals p. 523-528 (2)
27. Dielectric properties p. 554-557 (2)
28. Homogeneous semicond. 562-585 (1) but 570-571 (3), 577 - 585 (2)
29. Inhomogeneous semicond. 590-611 (3)
30. Defects 616-638 (2)
31. Diamagnetism, paramagn. 644-666 (2) but lecture notes (1)
32. Magnetic interactions 672-688 (3) but lecture notes (2)
33. Magnetic ordering 694-722 (3) but lecture notes (1)
34. Superconductivity 726-753 (2) - Not included in the exam 2013