Department of Physics, Unit Catalogue 2007/08 |
PH40028 Real solids, surfaces & soft matter physics |
| Credits: 6 |
| Level: Masters |
| Semester: 2 |
| Assessment: EX80CW20 |
| Requisites: |
| Before taking this unit you must (take PH20017 or take PH20063) and take PH20019 and take PH20020 |
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Aims: The aims of this unit are to introduce areas of condensed matter physics that extend beyond the conventional domain of regular, infinite, crystalline solids.
Learning Outcomes: After taking this unit the student should be able to: * discuss in depth the effect of point defects on the electronic, optical and mechanical properties of real crystals; * make quantitative estimates of the parameters that govern the behaviour of real solids; * describe the structure and properties of amorphous solids; * explain in detail the features of the observed crystal and electronic structure of clean surfaces; * sketch surface unit meshes and reciprocal nets and write down the associated Wood notation; * describe, compare and critically evaluate experimental probes of surfaces and soft condensed matter; * describe the structure of polymers, colloids and surfactants and how these impact upon their properties; * enumerate polymer lattice configurations. Skills: Numeracy T/F A, Problem Solving T/F A. Content: Real Solids: Defects in crystals: point defects and dislocations in crystals. Effect on electronic, optical and mechanical properties. Point defects in thermal equilibrium. Self diffusion. Ionic conductivity. Colour centres. Dislocations: slip, shear strength; edge and screw dislocations. Dislocation loops and networks. Introduction to amorphous solids. Topological disorder. Determination of glass structure. Short range order, vibrational states and thermal conductivity of glasses. Surface physics: Importance of surfaces, eg catalysis, corrosion, epitaxial growth. Clean and real surfaces. Surface energy. Surface crystal structure; relaxation and reconstruction; Wood notation. Surface electronic structure; the work function, 2-band model of surface states; adsorbates. Experimental probes of atomic and electronic structure; electron spectroscopies, low energy electron diffraction, scanning tunnelling microscopy. Soft Condensed Matter: Polymers: Chemical structure; Models for the conformation of polymers: the random walk, large N limit, freely jointed chains, Gaussian chains. Polymer solutions and melts. Colloids: Colloid structure, Brownian motion, sedimentation. Interacting colloid particles, phase behaviour, crystals and glasses. Surfactants: self assembly, Micelle formation, shapes of surfactant assemblies. Slow dynamics and the Glass transition. Experimental techniques: Static and dynamic light scattering; x-ray and neutron scattering. |