MATERIAL PHYSICS WITH EXERCISES MOD. 2

Degree course: 
Corso di First cycle degree in Physics
Academic year when starting the degree: 
2019/2020
Year: 
3
Academic year in which the course will be held: 
2021/2022
Course type: 
Compulsory subjects, characteristic of the class
Credits: 
5
Period: 
Second semester
Standard lectures hours: 
40
Detail of lecture’s hours: 
Lesson (40 hours)
Assessment: 
Voto Finale

1) The periodic table of elements. Pauli principle. Shell model. Spin orbit interaction. Hund rules. Zeeman effect (8 h).
2) Molecular structure in diatomic molecules. Born-Oppenheimer approximation. Hydrogen molecular ion. Parity. Molecular orbitals. Hydrogen molecule. Covalent and ionic bond, Heitler-London approximation. Examples of ionic bond. Van der Waals forces. Rotational and vibrational motions. Emission and adsorption spectra. Franck-Condon principle. Polyatomic molecules: hybridization (16 h).
3) Elements of solid state physics. Structure of crystals. Periodic lattices. X-ray scattering in crystals. Conduction in metals: Drude-Sommerfeld model. Band structure and Bloch theorem: metals, insulators and semiconductors. Intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors. Doping and inhomogeneous semiconductors: the p-n junction (16 h).

The student will find useful material in the following books:
B.H. Bransden, C.J. Joachain: Physics of Atoms and Molecules
N.W. Ashcroft, N.D. Mermin: Solid state physics
A useful rather comprehensive textbook is also:
N. Manini: Introduction to the Physics of Matter: Basic Atomic, Molecular, and Solid-state Physics

Other less advanced books are also available:
R.M. Eisberg, R. Resnick: Quantum Physics of Atoms, Molecules, Solids, Nuclei, and Particles
J.J. Brehm, W.J. Mullins: Introduction to the Structure of Matter: A Course in Modern Physics

The course is essentially based on lectures, during which the teacher presents the contents of the course in full detail, including mathematical derivations. At the end of each section, as previously detailed, few exercises taken from past exams will be presented and discussed (6 h).

The teacher is available for questions by appointment. The teacher e-mail is:
alberto.parola@uninsubria.it