MSE242

1. To teach sophomore engineering students the historical experimental results and theoretical developments which led to the formulation of quantum mechanics and solid state physics.


2. To teach students the solutions of the time independent Schroedinger?s equation for various potentials.


3. To teach students energy bands in solids and the origin of electronic conduction in metals and semiconductors.


4. To teach students crystal structure and the Miller index and reciprocal lattice descriptions of crystallography.


5. To teach students Fourier methods and the application to diffraction effects in solids.


6. To teach students diffraction methods for crystallographic and defect analysis in pure and alloyed materials.


7. To provide students with examples of devices and applications for solid state phenomena and materials.

1. To teach sophomore engineering students the historical experimental results and theoretical developments which led to the formulation of quantum mechanics and solid state physics.


2. To teach students the solutions of the time independent Schroedinger?s equation for various potentials.


3. To teach students energy bands in solids and the origin of electronic conduction in metals and semiconductors.


4. To teach students crystal structure and the Miller index and reciprocal lattice descriptions of crystallography.


5. To teach students Fourier methods and the application to diffraction effects in solids.


6. To teach students diffraction methods for crystallographic and defect analysis in pure and alloyed materials.


7. To provide students with examples of devices and applications for solid state phenomena and materials.

1. Class ombudspersons will provide continuing feedback from class to the instructor.


2. Weekly homework assignments will test objectives #1-6, results will be discussed in class discussion.


3. Two closed-book mid-term exams will test objectives #1-6.


4. Course mid-term evaluation by CRLT personnel will allow for active feedback to instructor in order to identify areas for greater emphasis and improvement in course presentation.


5. Student reports on microelectronic solid state devices and systems will be presented to entire class (objective #7).

1. Failure of classical physics; black-body radiation, Planck Postulate (TR 1, TR 3)


2. Early experiments exhibiting quantum effects: photo-electric effect, Davisson-Germer results, Compton shift, x-ray production. (TR 3)


3. Early models of the atom: Thompson, Rutherford and Bohr models, their successes and shortcomings. (TR 4)


4. Wave-particle duality; de Broglie postulate and Einstein relation. (TR 5)


5. Introduction to the wave equation and Fourier series analysis. (TR 5)


6. The Heisenberg uncertainty principle. (TR 5)


7. Probability density, expectation values, energy and momentum operations. (TR 5, TR 6)


8. Schršdinger equation, solutions for step, barrier and well potentials (TR 5, TR 6)


9. Scanning Probe Microscopy (TR 6)


10. Periodic well potentials: Kronig-Penney model (TR 11.1 + supplements)


11. Solution of the Schršdinger equation for the hydrogen atom (TR 7)


12. Atomic Physics and the Pauli Exclusion Principle (TR 8)


13. Classical and Quantum Statistics: Bose-Einstein and Fermi-Dirac statistics (TR 9)


14. Origin of Spectra (TR 10)


15. Stimulated Emission and Lasers (TR 10)


16. Thermal and Magnetic Properties (TR 10)


17. Superconductivity (TR 10)


18. Band Theory (TR 11)


19. Semiconductor Devices : Diodes, Transistors and Photovoltaics (TR 11 + supplements)

Additional Examples of the application of quantum theory in the context of materials science and engineering. May include: Quantum Devices, Quantum Computing, Magnetic Media, Spintronics