Solid-state physics

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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.

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.

[edit] 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

[edit] See also

[edit] External links and references

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

v • d • e General subfields within physics
Classical mechanics · Electromagnetism · Thermodynamics · Statistical mechanics · Quantum mechanics · Relativity · High energy physics · Condensed matter physics · Atomic, molecular, and optical physics

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