PHYSICS 240A: Condensed Matter Physics
Fall 2017, CRN 55992
URL for this course:
http://yclept.ucdavis.edu/course/240A.F17/240a.html
- Instructor: Prof. Warren E. Pickett; 427 Physics
- Contact: cell 530-220-2138; wepickett@ucdavis.edu
- Office Hours: Wednesdays 10-11am, and by appointment
- Lecture: 9:00 - 10:20 TR, Room 185 Physics
- TA: Wenjian Hu, 410 Physics, wjhu@ucdavis.edu
- TA Office Hours: tbd
Text: Fundamentals of Condensed Matter Physics,
by Marvin Cohen and Steven Louie
- Reference works:
Condensed Matter Physics, Michael Marder
Electronic Structure, Richard M. Martin
Solid State Physics, N. W. Ashcrogt and N. D. Mermin
Content of the two-quarter 240AB series (240C taught separately):
- Crystalline periodicity and unit cells. X-ray diffraction.
- Reciprocal space and Brillouin zones.
- Electronic structure: electronic band structure; density functional theory.
- Lattice dynamics: phonons and electron-phonon interaction.
- Electron-electron interactions; screening.
- Linear response; transport behavior.
- Electrons in a magnetic field.
- Topological quantum matter: insulators & semimetals.
Likely topics for 240C (taught separately)
- Magnetism: itinerant versus local-moment magnets and their phenomenology.
- Intro to Superconductivity: Ginzburg-Landau theory and BCS theory.
- Introduction to correlated electron physics; second quantization.
Prerequisites: B or better in core graduate physics courses
Materials besides the text:
Some handouts, drawn from background material
that the student will be encouraged to delve into. These will
involve topics that are not covered (or covered thoroughly) in texts.
- URL for this course:
http://yclept.ucdavis.edu/course/240A.F17/240a.html
Syllabus, schedule, assignments, etc. will be posted at this URL.
Assignments: to be posted at this URL.
Grading : Grades will be based on homework
assignments and on exams.
Final exam: Dec. 13, 1:00-3:00pm, 185 Physics