The Oxford Solid State Basics

Steven H. Simon, Professor of Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, and Fellow of Somerville College, Oxford.

Professor Steven Simon earned a BSc degree from Brown in Physics & Mathematics in 1989 and a PhD in Theoretical Physics from Harvard in 1995. Following a two-year post-doc at MIT, he joined Bell Labs, where he was a director of research for nine years. He is currently Professor of Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics in the Department of Physics at the University of Oxford, and a Fellow of Somerville College, Oxford.

His research is in the area of condensed matter physics and communication, including subjects ranging from microwave propagation to high temperature superconductivity. He is interested in quantum effects and how they are manifested in phases of matter. He has recently been studying phases of matter known as "topological phases" that are invariant under smooth deformations of space-time. He is also interested in whether such phases of matter can be used for quantum information processing and quantum computation.

1. About Condensed Matter Physics
Part I: Solids Without Considering Microscopic Structure: The Early Days of Solid State
2. Specific Heat of Solids: Boltzmann, Einstein, and Debye
3. Electrons in Metals: Drude Theory
4. More Electrons in Metals: Sommerfeld (Free Electron) Theory
Part II: Structure of Materials
5. The Periodic Table
6. What Holds Solids Together: Chemical Bonding
7. Types of Matter
Part III: Toy Models of Solids in One Dimension
8. One Dimensional Model of Compressibility, Sound, and Thermal Expansion
9. Vibrations of a One Dimensional Monatomic Chain
10. Vibrations of a One Dimensional Diatomic Chain
11. Tight Binding Chain (Interlude and Preview)
Part IV: Geometry of Solids
12. Crystal Structure
13. Reciprocal Lattice, Brillouin Zone, Waves in Crystals
Part V: Neutron and X-Ray Diffraction
14. Wave Scattering by Crystals
Part VI: Electrons in Solids
15. Electrons in a Periodic Potential
16. Insulator, Semiconductor, or Metal
17. Semiconductor Physics
18. Semiconductor Devices
Part VII: Magnetism and Mean Field Theories
19. Atomic Magnetism: Para- and Dia-Magnetism
20. Magnetic Order
21. Domains and Hysteresis
22. Mean Field Theory
23. Magnetism from Interactions: The Hubbard Model
Appendix A: Sample Exam and Solutions
Appendix B: List of Other Good Books