C. Kittel Introduction to solid state physics
Casa editrice Ambrosiana 2008
Isbn 978-8808-18362-0
slides of the lectures:
http://www2.de.unifi.it/Fisica/Bruzzi/fss.html
Learning Objectives
knowledge of the
fundamental phenomena
of electronic and lattice dynamics in solids, with particular reference to semiconductor materials.
Prerequisites
Knowledge of basic physics related to mechanics, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, optics, waves.
Teaching Methods
Lectures and laboratory activity in groups
Type of Assessment
oral examination
Course program
1-OUTLINE OF QUANTUM MECHANICS: black body, photoelectric effect, matter-wave duality, uncertainty principle of Heisenberg, Schroedinger equation. Applications: electron in potential well, tunneling, atomic orbitals.
2-CLASSIFICATION OF SOLID AND PERIODIC STRUCTURES. Cohesion in solids: noble gases, Lennard-Jones potential, total energy and equilibrium properties. Ionic solids, Madelung constant, equilibrium properties. Crystal structure. Space lattice and base unit. Wigner-Seitz cell. Outlines of polycrystalline and amorphous materials. Reciprocal lattice and its properties. Brillouin zones. Diffraction of X-rays, neutrons and electrons.
3-ELECTRONS IN METALS: Classical (Drude) and quantum (Sommerfeld) Free Electron Theory. Calculation of the Fermi energy, speed and total energy for free electrons. Fermi-Dirac statistics. Calculation of the electronic contribution to the specific heat.
4-ELECTRONS IN PERIODIC POTENTIAL OF CRYSTAL: Bloch theorem, electrons in periodic potential weak, formation of bands of energy, band-gap. Number of states in an energy band, crystal momentum of the electron, effective mass. Defining holes. Construction of the Fermi surface: extended and reduced scheme zone. Band structure for various types of materials: insulators, semiconductors, metals.
5-LATTICE VIBRATIONS. Elastic waves in continuous media. Vibrations of linear chains with and without a base. Vibrations of a three-dimensional networks. The concept of phonon. Bose-Einstein statistics. Dispersion curves. Lattice contribution to the specific heat.
6-SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS: impurities states in semiconductors, doping. Carrier statistics in intrinsic and doped semiconductors. Equilibrium carrier concentrations as a function of temperature. Conductivity, Hall coefficient. Transport in semiconductors: continuity equation, diffusion, recombination and generation of carrier pairs, quasi-fermi levels, drift-diffusion model.
7-NON-HOMOGENEOUS SEMICONDUCTORS: omojunctions; metal / semiconductor junction, heterostructure: alignment of potential. Applications.
8- LAB ACTIVITY: Electrical properties of materials, IV and CV characteristics of semiconductor devices, solar cells.