Aims

This module aims to provide students with background necessary to understand solid state materials and their physical properties, with the main emphasis on crystalline materials.

Outline Of Syllabus

Atomic structure and Chemical bonding (atomic models, periodic table, ionic, covalent, metallic bonding, van der Waals and hydrogen bonding);
Crystal structure (lattice vectors, unit cell, miller indices, Bravais lattices, reciprocal lattice, Brillouin zone);
Wave scattering (diffraction, Bragg’s law, Laue equations, Ewald sphere, X-ray diffraction);
Lattice vibrations (1D monatomic chain, 1D diatomic chain, optical and acoustic phonon modes, periodic potentials, density of states, energy bands);
Thermal and electronic properties (Einstein model, Debye model, Drude theory, Sommerfeld theory)

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Lectures are used for the delivery of theory and explanation of methods, illustrated with examples, and for giving general feedback on marked work.

The teaching methods are appropriate to allow students to develop a wide range of skills, from understanding basic concepts and facts to higher-order thinking.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

A substantial formal unseen examination is appropriate for the assessment of the material in this module. The format of the examination will enable students to reliably demonstrate their own knowledge, understanding and application of learning outcomes. The assurance of academic integrity forms a necessary part of programme accreditation.

Examination problems may require a synthesis of concepts and strategies from different sections, while they may have more than one ways for solution. The examination time allows the students to test different strategies, work out examples and gather evidence for deciding on an effective strategy, while carefully articulating their ideas and explicitly citing the theory they are using.

The coursework assignments allow the students to develop their problem solving techniques, to practise the methods learnt in the module, to assess their progress and to receive feedback; these assessments have a secondary formative purpose as well as their primary summative purpose.