Courses Catalogue

Syllabus of the course: Condensed Matter Physics

In this web page we provide the syllabus of the course Condensed Matter Physics, offered by the Department of Physics.
The list of the courses offered during the current accademic year is available here.
The list of all courses offered by the Department of Physics is available here.

Code	Φ-442
Type	B
ECTS	6
Hours	4
Semester	Spring
Instructor	G. Tsironis
Program	Tuesday, 12:00-14:00, Room 4 Friday 11:00-13:00, Room 4
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Goal of the course	The course addresses advanced undergraduate students that aim to understand basic concepts of condensed matter physics starting from the principles of quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics. It presents the electronic and phononic states of crystalline solids. This is followed by a brief introduction to second quantization that leads to the description of elementary excitations with the quasi-particle concept and permits the systematic analysis of simple models of condensed matter physics such as the homogeneous electron gas, the BCS model for superconductivity, and the Heisenberg model for magnetism.
Syllabus	Direct and reciprocal lattice, primitive cell and first Brillouin zone. Electronic states in a periodic potential, Bloch's theorem, periodic boundary conditions, Fermi surface, density of states. Electrons in a weak periodic potential. The tight-binding method, linear combination of atomic orbitals (LCAO). Phonons. Brief introduction to second quantization. Statistical mechanics of electrons and phonons. Homogeneous electron gas and the Hartree-Fock method. The screening effect. Superconductivity and the BCS theory. Diamagnetism and paramagnetism. Magnetic ordering and spin waves, the Heisenberg ferro- and antiferromagnet.
Bibliography	1. "Solid State Physics" -- N. W. Ashcroft and N. D. Mermin (Holt-Saunders, New York, 1976). 2. "Quantum Many-Particle Systems" -- G. C. Psaltakis (Crete University Press, Heraklion, 2008). 3. "Solid State Physics", Vol. II -- E. N. Economou (Crete University Press, Heraklion, 2003).