Starting from 2009/2010, the 2-year Master in Physics has been changed from "Laurea Specialistica" to "Laurea Magistralis". The academic year is divided in two terms, with a 2 months interval between terms dedicated to individual study and exams. The "Condensed Matter Physics I" Course is given in the first term (28 Sept. 2009 - 15 Jan. 2010), with 4 hours/week, for a total number of 48 hours (6 credits).
  • Lectures
  • Textboooks
  • Exams

    • Lectures will be given (unless otherwise announced in this Web site) in Dept. of Physics, via Valerio 2, Room D.
    Link to the Physics' Courses timetable .
     
    Lecture Date Argument Details
    1-2 28/09/2009; 9-11 Transport of noninteracting electrons [Ch. 1, 2, 3] Introduction to the Course; references. The Drude theory of metals: basic assumptions (noninteracting and free electrons; relaxation time). DC electrical conductivity. Hall effect and magnetoresistance (Ch. 1, first part)
    3-4 29/09/2009; 9-11 " Drude theory: AC electrical conductivity; dielectric function and plasma frequency.
    5-6 05/10/2009; 9-11 " Thermal conductivity and Wiedemann-Franz law. Seebeck effect: predicted thermopower and failure of the Drude theory. (Ch. 1, second part). Exercises (from Ch. 1)
    7-8 06/10/2009; 9-11 " The Sommerfeld theory of metals-I: Fermi-Dirac distribution; ground state of free and indep. electron gas; Fermi momentum; energy; temperature; derivation of predicted bulk modulus and comparison with experiments. [Ch. 2 (not section 2: derivation of the FD distribution)]
    9-10 12/10/2009; 9-11 " The Sommerfeld theory of metals-II: Integrals in energy and k space: density of states, physical meaning; chemical potential; derivation of the Sommerfeld expansion (from Landau, Course of Theoretical Physics, Pergamon, volume 5, Statistical Physics, Part I (if III edition, see p. 169-170); use of Sommerfeld expansion; electronic contribution to the specific heat) [Ch. 2]
    11-12 13/10/2009; 9-11 " Exercises (n. 3 of Ch. 2 of the textbook: The classical limit of Fermi-Dirac statistics; initial part of n. 4 of the collection on this web site: One-dimensional electron gas)
    13-14 19/10/2009; 9-11 " Exercises (complete the One-dimensional electron gas; different possible derivations of the Density of states (also with the delta-function); energy-density relations and DOS for free electron in 1D, 2D, 3D)
    15-16 20/10/2009; 9-11 Lattices and crystalline structures [Ch. 4,5,6]. Sommerfeld theory of metals-III: thermal properties; conduction; summary and review: basic assumptions, successes and failures of the free electron model. [Ch. 2 & 3]. Introduction to lattice structures: Bravais lattices and crystalline structures in real space; Wigner-Seitz cells. (a few slides)
    17-18 21/10/2009; 9-11 " Lattices with basis. Packing fraction [Ch. 4]. Reciprocal lattices, Brillouin zone. [Ch. 5]
    19-20 26/10/2009; 9-11 " Families of lattice planes, Miller indices [Ch. 5]. X-ray diffraction: Bragg and von Laue. [Ch. 6]. (a few slides). A web site with many structures.
    21-22 27/10/2009; 9-11 " Structure factors (end of Ch. 6). Exercises on Ch. 4-5-6.
    23-24 29/10/2009; 9-11 Independent electrons in a periodic potential: exact results and approximations [Ch. 8, D, F, 9, 10]. Periodic potential: Bloch theorem (Ch. 8).
    25-26 9/11/2009; 9-11 " Consequences of the Block theorem: quasi-crystalline momentum; velocity; energy bands; Fermi surfaces. (Ch. 8)
    27-28 10/11/2009; 9-11 " Density of states; different approaches. Derivation of the DOS using the properties of the delta-function (one slide) Alternative derivation of the DOS of 3D free electrons from the general expression; Ex. 2 Ch. 8. Effects of a weak perturbing potential (nearly free electrons): non degenerate case.
    - 12/11/2009; 8.30-11 (Building C11, Room A2 (III floor)) " I part - WRITTEN TEST (Ch. 1-7)
    29-30 16/11/2009; 9-11 " More on: Effects of a weak perturbing potential (degenerate case; two-levels system). [Ch. 9] Summary (two slides)
    31-32 17/11/2009; 9-11 " More on: Effects of a weak perturbing potential. Band index and folding. Exercises on Bloch electrons: bands of free electrons in FCC structure (resolved problem; pdf file)
    33-34 23/11/2009; 9-11 " The tight-binding approach. General formulation [first part of Ch. 10]
    35-36 24/11/2009; 9-11 " Tight-binding: particular examples (s-bands for 1D, 2D, 3D cubic lattices) and exercises [Ch. 10, except Wannier].
    37-38 26/11/2009; 11-13 " Notes on the weak periodic potential: the geometrical structure factor in elemental crystals with lattices with a basis. General remarks on the tight-binding method. Exercises on: Bloch electrons, weak periodic potential and tight binding.
    39-40 27/11/2009; 11-13 Semiclassical transport of Bloch electrons in electrical and magnetic fields Validity of semicl. dynamics. Equations of motions. Liouville theorem. Filled bands. Holes. [first part of Ch. 12]
    41-42 30/11/2009; 9-11 " Orbits in r and k space. Motion of electrons in uniform and static el. and/or magn. fields. [Ch. 12] (a few slides) .
    43-44 1/12/2009; 9-11 " Motion of electrons in perpendicular uniform and static el. and magn. fields. Exercises.
    45-46 3/12/2009; 9-11 Boltzmann equation Boltzmann eq. - I part: Ch. 13 only Introduction; Ch. 16: Sect. IV (The Boltzmann eq.); Sect. I (Source of el. scattering); Ch. 16: Sect. II (Scattering prob. and relaxation time); Sect. III (Rate of change of the distribution function due to collisions). Ex. 16.2
    47-48 14/12/2009; 9-11 " Boltzmann eq. - II part: Ch. 13 Sect. IV (DC Electric conductivity); ex. 16.3. Other exercises on Bloch electrons (Ch. 12)
    - 15/12/2010; 9-12 (Phys. Dept., Room D) " II part - WRITTEN TEST (Ch. 8 - 16)
    - 14/01/2010; 9-10:30 " Correction of the II WRITTEN TEST
    - 25/01/2010; 9-12 (Phys. Dept., Room B) " FINAL WRITTEN TEST
    - 18/02/2010; 9-12 (Phys. Dept., Room D) " FINAL WRITTEN TEST
    - 17/06/2010; 9-12 (Phys. Dept., Miramare, Room 204) " FINAL WRITTEN TEST
    - 12/07/2010; 9:30-12:30 (Phys. Dept., Miramare, Room 204) " FINAL WRITTEN TEST
    - 1 or 2 or 3 Sept. 2010 " FINAL WRITTEN TEST

    Textbooks:

    Exams:
    Two written tests (partial: on the first and on the second half of the program) or one final written exam + final oral exam. Dates to be agreed with students (6 times per academic year, according to the rules of the "Regolamento didattico di Ateneo"). Typically 3 hours available for the final written tests. You can bring with you books, lecture notes...
    Examples of past written intermediate tests and final exams:
    Test.I 2006
    Test.I 2007
    Test.I 2008
    Test.I 2009
    Test.II 2006
    Test.II 2008
    Test.II 2009
    Final exam 12-01-2007
    Final exam 11-04-2007
    Final exam 25-01-2010


    Last modified: January 2010