Solid-state physics

Solid-state physics, the largest branch of condensed matter physics, is the study of rigid matter, or solids. The bulk of solid-state physics theory and research is focused on crystals, largely because the periodicity of atoms in a crystal — its defining characteristic —facilitates mathematical modeling, and also because crystalline materials often have electrical, magnetic, optical, or mechanical properties that can be exploited for engineering purposes.

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The framework of most solid-state physics theory is the Schrödinger (wave) formulation of non-relativistic quantum mechanics. Bloch's Theorem, which characterizes the wavefunctions of electrons in a periodic potential, is an important starting point for much analysis. Since Bloch's Theorem applies only to periodic potentials, and since unceasing random movements of atoms in a crystal disrupt periodicity, this use of Bloch's Theorem is only an approximation, but it has proven to be a tremendously valuable approximation, without which most solid-state physics analysis would be intractable. Deviations from periodicity are treated by quantum mechanical perturbation theory.

Topics

• Amorphous solid
• Crystal structure
  • defects
  • quasicrystal
  • Free electron model
  • reciprocal lattice
  • X-ray crystallography
  • neutron diffraction
  • dynamical theory of diffraction
• Electronic structure
  • bandgap
  • Bloch waves (electron waves in a lattice)
  • conduction band
  • effective mass
  • electron hole
  • Fermi gas
    • Fermi energy
  • Fermi liquid
  • exciton
  • valence band
• Electronic transport
  • Bloch oscillations
  • Drude model
  • electrical conduction
  • Hall effect
  • magnetoresistance
  • superconductivity
• Mechanical properties
  • Debye model of specific heat
  • elasticity
  • Mössbauer effect
  • phonons (lattice vibrations)
  • nanomechanics (nanoscale structures)
• Optical properties
  • crystal optics

See also

External links and references

• Online textbook: Introduction to Modern Solid State Physics by Yuri M. Galperin.