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Welcome to the home of solid-state physics

This site exists to enhance the distribution of course information and content for the solid-state physics component of KYA322: Statistical and solid-state physics. All official communication will be though MyLO1.

A Crocoite sample found near Dundas in western Tasmania. As part of this course, we will investigate the what happens when atoms are no longer considered in isolation, and see that systems of interacting particles can have some pretty incredible outcomes

Course expectations: my expectations of you

Solid-state physics is where the rubber meets the road: abstract concepts will be applied in an effort to model realistic and complex systems. There are delights are to be had, but like most truly rewarding endeavours, said delights do not come for free. In undertaking this course, it is expected that:

  • You will view the video content before any scheduled face-to-face sessions
  • Prescribed problems and reading will be undertaken before any face-to-face sessions
  • You will attend all face-to-face sessions, and actively contribute to discussions and problem solving
  • If you are experiencing difficulties, that you will get in contact as soon as is reasonably possible

Course objectives

The purpose of this course is to provide an introduction to the world of solid-state physics. At the conclusion of your journey, you should:

  • Be familiar with the main models of solid-state physics, and their application to real-world systems
  • Have proficiency parsing and extracting information from applied solid-state systems, with an eye to identification the relevant theoretical framework(s) and the concise formulation of physics to be investigated
  • Have experience identifying and applying appropriate approximations and physical insight to make difficult problems more tractable
  • Be familiar with experimental and analytical apparatus relevant to probing solid-state systems, in addition to some of the main systems and devices one might encounter in the wild
  • Have had some fun!

Course expectations: my promises to you

Rightly, you should have expectations of me. It is my intention that:

  • I will work to communicate my understanding and insight in the course material
  • I will actively seek input to steer and shape the content discussed, and develop relevant resources
  • I will be widely available for consultation and discussion
  • I will do my best to cultivate a safe and open forum for discussion

If you think that I am not fulfilling my commitments, or if you have other comments, I would hope that you are comfortable conveying your concerns and/or comments to me, either directly or anonymously. It is my genuine desire to help you navigate learning new concepts and ideas, and I want to do this to the best of my ability, and feedback is the best way to ensure this endeavour proceeds as smoothly as possible.

  1. For the curious traveller, MyLO is The University of Tasmania's learning management system, based on Brightspace as developed D2L. ↩

Last update: August 21, 2021

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