Course title:
Introduction to Semiconductor Physics, Nanophysics and Magnetism
Primary programme:
Fizikus mérnök BSc
ECTS credits:
3
Course type:
elective
Number of lectures per week:
2
Number of practices per week:
0
Number of laboratory exercises per week:
0
Further knowledge transfer methods:
Grading:
Examination
Special grading methods:
Semester:
6
Prerequisites:
Solid State Physics
Responsible lecturer:
Dr. Szabolcs Csonka, associate professor, PhD
Lecturers and instructors:
Course description:
Introduction the basics of semiconductor physics, nanophysics and magnetism with special emphasis on the basic physical terms and concepts.
Semiconductor physics Band structure, electrons and holes, impurity doping, statistical mechanics of semiconductors. Band structure engineering, p-n junction and the transistor.
Nanophysics
Characteristic length-scales, conductance of a quantum wire, Landauer formula, conductance quantization. Coherent and incoherent transport.
The Boltzmann equation: non-equilibrium distribution function, the Boltzmann equation in the relaxation time approximation, solution of the Boltzmann equation in finite temparature gradient or in finite electric field.
Magnetism:origin of atomic magnetic moments: Hund's rules, why do magnetic moments align? Investigation of a toy model (2 electrons in an atom), symmetry of the wavefunction, exchange energy; simple models of magnetism: effective model of interacting spins (by Dirac), Heisenberg model, Ising model. Types of spontaneous magnetic order; ferromagnets, antiferromagnets, ferrimagnets; spontaneous symmetry breaking, frustration. The mean field theory of ferromagnets, effective (Weiss-)field, self consistency equation, paramagnetic and ferromagnetic phase, critical temperature (Curie-point); spontaneous magnetization as a function of temperature.
Reading materials:
Steven H. Simon:
Jenő Sólyom: Fundamentals of the Physics of Solids I-II., ISBN 978-3540725992, 978-3540853152
List of competences:
Please find the detailed list, as quoted from the Hungarian training and outcome requirements of the Physicist Engineer program, in the Hungarian version of the course description.