Course Meeting Times
Lectures: 3 sessions / week, 1 hour / session
Recitations: 2 sessions / week, 1 hour / session
Labs: 3 weeks, 5 sessions / week, 1 hour / session
Prerequisites
3.012 Fundamentals of Materials Science and Engineering
The first half of 3.012 (structures) is also available in 3 modules on the Open Learning Library.
Description
This course offers a description of how the electronic, optical and magnetic properties of materials originate from their electronic and molecular structure and how these properties can be designed for particular applications, for instance in optical fibers, magnetic data storage, solar cells, transistors and other devices. It also offers experimental exploration of the electronic, optical and magnetic properties of materials, including hands-on experimentation using spectroscopy, resistivity, impedance and magnetometry measurements, behavior of light in waveguides, and other characterization methods, as well as investigation of structure-property relationships through practical materials examples.
Objectives and Approach
There is an emphasis in lectures on fundamental physical models in order to understand and predict electrical, optical and magnetic properties using real world examples and applications, as well as EOM property measurements using state-of-the-art tools and engineering materials properties during lab sessions.
Course Topics
- Hamiltonian mechanics with application to normal vibrations in crystals
- Phonons: Dispersion relations, normal modes
- Introduction to quantum mechanics: Schrödinger’s equation
- Applications to quantum dots, tunneling devices
- Localized vs. delocalized states: From the free electron to the atom
- Electronic states in crystals: DOS, bandgaps, interpretation of band diagrams
- Fermions, symmetrization and Pauli’s exclusion principle: Electrons in bands and the classification of solids
- “Free electron gas” description of carriers
- The chemical potential: Fermi level, statistics of electron distribution
- Electronic structure of semiconductors: Intrinsic and extrinsic
- Semiconductor devices: p-n junctions under illumination and applied voltage
- Maxwell’s equations: Electromagnetic waves in materials
- Indices of refraction: Reflection and transmission
- Periodic optical materials: Photonic bands and bandgaps
- Magnetization in materials: Para-, ferro-, anti-ferro- and ferrimagnets
- Magnetic domains
Grading
| ACTIVITIES | PERCENTAGES |
|---|---|
| 6 problem sets | 20% |
| 2 quizzes | 50% |
| 3 lab reports | 30% |
Calendar
| SES # | TOPICS | KEY DATES |
|---|---|---|
| Lec 1 |
Introduction and course overview The Hamiltonian approach to classical mechanics: Analysis of a simple oscillator |
PSet 1 out |
| Rec 1 | ||
| Lec 2 | The Hamiltonian approach to classical mechanics: Analysis of vibrations in one-dimensional lattice | |
| Lec 3 | The Hamiltonian analysis of lattice vibrations: Phononic bandgap | |
| Rec 2 | ||
| Lec 4 | Introduction to quantum mechanical way of thinking |
PSet 1 due PSet 2 out |
| Rec 3 | ||
| Lec 5 | Quantum mechanical systems and measurements: Observables | |
| Lec 6 | Quantum mechanical systems and measurements: Spectral decomposition | |
| Lec 7 | Quantum mechanical measurements: Symmetries, conserved quantities, and the labeling of states | |
| Rec 4 | ||
| Lec 8 | Symmetries, conserved quantities, and the labeling of states: Angular momentum | |
| Lab Week |
PSet 2 due PSet 3 out Lab report 1 due |
|
| Rec 5 | Lab recitation | |
| Lec 9 | The hydrogen atom | |
| Rec 6 | ||
| Lec 10 | Waves in periodic potentials: Part I | |
| Lec 11 | Waves in periodic potentials: Part II | |
| Rec 7 | ||
| Lec 12 | Band gap | |
| Rec 8 | ||
| Lec 13 | Band diagrams |
PSet 3 due PSet 4 out |
| Lec 14 | The free electron gas: Density of states | |
| Rec 9 | Midterm exam review | |
| Midterm Exam | ||
| Lec 15 | Fermi-Dirac distribution | |
| Rec 10 | Lab recitation | |
| Lec 16 | Carriers in intrinsic semiconductors | |
| Lab Week | Lab report 2 due | |
| Rec 11 | ||
| Lec 17 | Engineering conductivity through doping | |
| Rec 12 | ||
| Lec 18 | The P-N junction (the diode) |
PSet 4 due PSet 5 out |
| Lec 19 | Light emitting diodes | |
| Rec 13 | ||
| Lec 20 | Light emitting diodes (cont.) | |
| Lec 21 | Reminder / introduction to wave optics | |
| Rec 14 | ||
| Lec 22 | Electromagnetic waves | |
| Rec 15 | Lab recitation | |
| Lec 23 | Layered materials and photonic band diagrams |
PSet 5 due PSet 6 out |
| Lab Week | Lab report 3 due | |
| Rec 16 | ||
| Lec 24 | Origins of magnetization | |
| Rec 17 | ||
| Lec 25 | Hysteresis in ferromagnetic materials | PSet 6 due |
| Lec 26 | Magnetic domains | |
| Rec 18 | ||
| Lec 27 | Course summary and review for final exam | |
| Rec 19 | Final exam review | |
| Final Exam | ||
