Department of Physics,

University of Maryland

College Park, MD

Spring 2007

Course Title: Physics 732: Solid State Physics II

Instructor: Professor H. Dennis Drew

Office: Physics Building, Room 2333, Phone: (301) 405 6146

e-mail: hdrew@physics.umd.edu

Office Hours: after class, by arrangement (email, phone).

Course Description: The purpose of this course is to provide a thorough foundation in the phenomenology of Condensed Matter Physics in general as well as an introduction to the different branches of the field. The first semester PHYS 731 given in the Fall of 2006 focused on the foundations of the subject. The topics included: crystal lattices, and the reciprocal lattice, electronic band structure, phonons and the electron phonon interaction, metals physics (Fermiology, transport theory, Coulomb interaction and plasma screening), and surface physics.

The second semester continuation - PHYS 732 - is given in Spring 2007. It will be devoted to several principle subfields in condensed matter physics, with emphasis on materials physics. These include optical properties of solids, semiconductors, metals, magnetism, and superconductivity. Some specific topics will include magnetism in oxide metals, the Quantum Hall effect, the Mott - metal-insulator transition, and high temperature superconductivity.

Time, Place: Tues. & Thursday, Physics 4208,

Teaching Assisant/Grader: Pavel Nagornykh, Physics 2121, Phone: (301) 405 7652,

e-mail: pnagorny@umd.edu

Text: The primary text will be: Condensed Matter Physics, M. P. Marder (Wiley). I will also be using Solid State Physics, N. W. Ashcroft and N. D. Mermin.

Homework: There will be about ten homework assignments. They are a very important part of the course; to master the material generally requires doing problems conscientiously. But homework is not a take-home test: Students are encouraged to discuss the problems with each other after thinking about them alone, and to explore the physics behind the problems. However, each student should write answers individually. Late problem sets should be turned in directly to the TA. Solutions will be distributed/posted on the next lecture day ("deadline date") after the due date. Thereafter, no late problem sets can be accepted for credit.

Final: There will be a take home final on the material covered in the course.

Grading: The course grade will be base primarily on total points as follows:

homework 50%, final 50%.