Welcome to Phys 155, 2012!

The exam results and solutions are posted.
As I promised in the last lecture, I uploaded a note on the field momentum (it is Appendix C).
I have been using a bit of QM lingos and the Dirac notations. Some comments about the Dirac notation can be found here. Please read Quantum Mechanics Formalism if it is necessary.
Please note that the classroom activity sheets are uploaded along with lecture notes. For these activity sheets for which solutions are not given, please submit your clearly worked-out solutions to me (optional). If your solutions are of sufficiently high quality, I will upload your solutions (and I will jot your name down in my "good-deeds notepad," which I will consult near the end of this course).

Archived news items can be found here. Some are worth checking again (e.g. for the office hour info).

Welcome to Solid State Physics!

In this course, you will learn both very fundamental and very practical knowledge about how the world around us works. First, about "practical." This is quite obvious. Solid state physics is concerned with magnets, conductors, semiconductors, insulators, superconductors, semi-metals, etc. They are clearly practical stuff, since they permeate to all corners of our materials industry. Second, about "fundamental." This is also quite obvious if you give it a little thoughts. However, some of the fundamental aspect is indeed very deep. Virtually all phenomena in solids are the result of interactions between electrons and photons. This involves quantum mechanics, which is quite fundamental. In particular, one particle in a periodic potential problem -- a rather simple and easy problem -- occupies the heart of solid state physics. However, under this deceivingly simple fundamental problem is hidden another fundamental mechanism at work. Namely virtually all of what happens in solids (and condensed matters in general) is due to the interaction of very (dauntingly) many particles. This is the reason why there are so many phases of matter, with surprising and useful new phases being discovered continually. Interactions are also a key element in truly understanding what we call simple particles in solids -- electron, holes, phonons, etc.

Checking out last year’s course web site might be of some use.

-  ⇤ ← Revision 7 as of 6:31PM, Dec 21, 2011 → 
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-  * <<fl(W)>>elcome to Solid State Physics!  Here, you will learn both '''very fundamental and very practical''' knowledge about how the world around us works.
  * This web site is under construction.  The textbook for this course is Kittel, Introduction to Solid State Physics, eighth edition (however, the edition should not matter much).
+  * [[Homework+|The exam results and solutions are posted]]. 
  * As I promised in the last lecture, I uploaded a [[Lecture+#Appendix|note on the field momentum (it is Appendix C)]].
  * I have been using a bit of QM lingos and the Dirac notations.  <<ln(https://griffin.ucsc.edu/forum/question/80/whats-with-the-dirac-notation,"Some comments about the Dirac notation can be found here")>>.  Please read <<ln("http://griffin.ucsc.edu/teaching/08Q2-139A/download/L8 - Formalism.pdf", "Quantum Mechanics Formalism")>> if it is necessary.  
  * Please note that the classroom activity sheets are uploaded along with lecture notes.  For these activity sheets for which solutions are not given, '''please submit your clearly worked-out solutions''' to me (optional).  If your solutions are of sufficiently high quality, I will upload your solutions (and I will jot your name down in my "good-deeds notepad," which I will consult near the end of this course).
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+<<h(<div style="margin-top: -1.0em; text-align: right;">)>>~-[[Archived news|Archived news items can be found here]].  ''Some are worth checking again (e.g. for the office hour info).'' -~<<h(</div>)>>
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-'''<<fl(W)>>elcome to Solid State Physics!'''
+'''~+Welcome to Solid State Physics!+~'''
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-In this course, you will learn both '''very fundamental and very practical''' knowledge about how the world around us works.
+<<fl(I)>>n this course, you will learn both '''very fundamental and very practical''' knowledge about how the world around us works.  First, about "practical."  This is quite obvious.  Solid state physics is concerned with magnets, conductors, semiconductors, insulators, superconductors, semi-metals, etc.  They are clearly practical stuff, since they permeate to all corners of our materials industry.  Second, about "fundamental."  This is also quite obvious if you give it a little thoughts.  However, some of the fundamental aspect is indeed very deep.  Virtually all phenomena in solids are the result of interactions between electrons and photons.  This involves quantum mechanics, which is quite fundamental.  In particular, '''one particle in a periodic potential''' problem -- a rather simple and easy problem -- occupies the heart of solid state physics.  However, under this deceivingly simple fundamental problem is hidden another fundamental mechanism at work.  Namely virtually all of what happens in solids (and condensed matters in general) is due to the interaction of very (dauntingly) many particles.  This is the reason why there are so many phases of matter, with surprising and useful new phases being discovered continually.  Interactions are also a key element in truly understanding what we call ''simple'' particles in solids -- electron, holes, phonons, etc.