2010 Course Handbook
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PHYS303: Atomic and Solid-State Physics
This unit gives an understanding of the fundamentals of atomic physics that lead to the unique energy-level diagram (and consequent unique spectrum of frequencies of electromagnetic radiation that can be emitted and/or absorbed) for each atom in the periodic table. Hydrogen is a particularly important atom in this context because its theoretical description is the most complete of any atom. When many atoms are very close together in a crystalline solid, discrete energy levels form into bands in the solid. This band structure determines many properties of the resulting solid, depending on the atomic arrangement, and is at the heart of how solids can be exploited, for example in semiconductor devices. Specific topics covered include: revision of wave mechanics; the physics of the hydrogen atom; solution of the 3D Schrodinger equation for the hydrogen atom; magnetic dipole moments; spin and transition rates; multi-electron atoms (ground states); multi-electron atoms (optical excitations); crystalline structure; bonding; lattice vibrations; lattice thermal energy; electrons in metals; band theory of solids; free-electron model; tight-binding model; semiconductors; semiconductor device physics.
| Credit Points: | 3 |
| Contact Hours: | 4 |
| When Offered: | D1 - Day; Offered in the first half-year |
| Staff Contact(s): | Physics staff |
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| Assessed As: | Graded |
| Offered By: | Department of Physics and Astronomy |
Timetable Information
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