Solid State Physics and Electromagnetism

5 ECTS credits
135 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 1008057BNR for all students in the 1st semester at a (B) Bachelor - advanced level.

Semester

1st semester

Enrollment based on exam contract

Impossible

Grading method

Grading (scale from 0 to 20)

Can retake in second session

Yes

Enrollment Requirements

Students who want to enroll for this course, must have passed for 'Waves and electromagnetism' and must have passed or be enrolled for 'Analyse: afleiden, integreren, wiskundige software' and 'Lineaire algebra: stelsels, matrices en afbeeldingen'.

Taught in

Dutch

Faculty

Faculteit Ingenieurswetenschappen

Department

Applied Physics and Photonics

Educational team

Jan Danckaert (course titular)
Guy Verschaffelt
Jaël Pauwels

Activities and contact hours

30 contact hours Lecture
28 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals

Course Content

Part 1: Introduction to Solid State Physics

Lattices, crystals and symmetry
Crystal planes and directions
Reciprocal lattice
Diffraction
Tensors and symmetry

Part 2: Classical Electromagnetism

Electromagnetic waves in vacuum
Electromagnetic waves in isotropic dielectrics
Boundary conditions in electromagnetic problems
Reflection and transmission at an interface between two dielectrics (Snell’s and Fresnel’s laws)
Electromagnetic waves in anisotropic dielectrics (change of polarisation)
Electromagnetic waves in metals
Drude model for the conductivity of a metal
Drude-Lorentz model for the susceptibility of a dielectric

Course material

Course text (Required) : Vaste stof en stralingsfysica, Danckaert - Verschaffelt, VUB, 2220170009933, 2023
Course text (Required) : Vaste stof en stralingsfysica, Oefeningenbundel, J. Danckaert, VUB, 2220170000572, 2015
Handbook (Recommended) : The structure of crystals, A. M. Glazer, BIB, 9780852748251, 1987
Handbook (Recommended) : Lectures on Physics Vol. 2, R. Feynman, New Millenium Ed., Basic Books, 9780465024940, 2011
Handbook (Recommended) : Solid State Physics, N. W. Ashcroft, N. D. Mermin, Brooks Cole, 9780357670811, 2020
Handbook (Recommended) : Introduction to electrodynamics, D. J. Griffiths, 4de, Cambridge University Press, 9781108420419, 2017

Additional info

Learning Outcomes

General competencies

The primary learning objective of this course is to continue the physics education of the 1st Bachelor and to teach the students basic concepts and skills in physics. This course includes an introduction to solid state physics and a more advanced part on classical electromagnetism, mainly consisting of a study of Maxwell’s equation in matter (isotropic and linear dielectrics, anisotropic dielectrics and metals).

Other learning objectives are to increase the scientific awareness of students, and to improve their knowledge of technical English by the use of English textbooks.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 85% of the final mark.
PRAC Practical Assignment determines 15% of the final mark.

Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

written exam with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 85% of the final mark.

Note: Written exam (problem solving, integrated exercises, theory).

Within the PRAC Practical Assignment category, the following assignments need to be completed:

opdrachten jaarwerk with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 15% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

Students are graded with an oral exam (theory) and a written exam (exercises and problem solving, including integrated porblem solving).

Following weights are being used:

* work during the year: 15%
* written exam (problem solving, incl. geintegrated exercises) and theory, checking the in-depth knopwledge as well as an overview of the course: 85%

Allowed unsatisfactory mark

The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context