2014/2015

2016/2017

DM270

FIS/03 (MATERIAL PHYSICS)

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS

PHYSICS

PERCORSO COMUNE

3°

2nd semester (01/03/2017 - 16/06/2017)

12

96 lesson hours

Lectures are usually given in Italian but they can also be given in English upon students request.

ORAL TEST

CARRETTA PIETRO (titolare) - 12 ECTS

Basic aspects of mechanics, thermodynamics, electromagnetism and of the foundations of quantum mechanics. The knowledge of the basic concepts of statistical mechanics is appreciated, although not strictly necessary.

Atoms- general aspects: central field approximation, self-consistent construction of the effective potential, Hydrogenic atoms, finite nuclear mass effects, positronium, muonic and Rydberg atoms, orbital and spin magnetic moments and spin-orbit interaction, transition probabilities and selection rules

Typical atoms: Alkali atoms, Helium atom (Generalities and ground state, Excited states and the exchange interaction)

The shell vectorial model: Coupling of angular momenta, LS coupling model,the effective magnetic moment, the Hund rules for the ground state, jj coupling scheme

Atoms in electric and magnetic fields: Stark effect and atomic polarizability, Zeeman regime, Paschen-Back regime, Paramagnetism of non-interacting atoms and mean field Interaction, Atomic diamagnetism

Nuclear moments and hyperfine interactions: Magnetic hyperfine interaction - F states, electric quadrupole interaction

Spin statistics, magnetic resonance, spin motion and echoes

Molecules: general aspects: Born-Oppenheimer separation and the adiabatic approximation, Classification of the electronic states, separated-atoms and united-atoms schemes and correlation diagram

Electronic states in diatomic molecules: H2+ molecule as prototype of molecular orbital (MO) approach, bonding mechanism and the exchange of the electron , homonuclear molecules in the MO scenario, H2 as prototype of the Valence Bond (VB) approach, Comparison of MO and VB scenarios in H2 , Heteronuclear molecules and the electric dipole moment

Electronic states in selected polyatomic molecules: qualitative aspects of NH3 and H2O? molecules, bonds due to hybrid atomic orbitals, delocalization and the benzene molecule, Ammonia molecule in electric field and the Ammonia MASER

Nuclear motions in molecules and related properties: rotational motions, principles of rotational spectroscopy, thermodynamical energy from rotational motions, orientational electric polarizability, vibrational motions, principles of vibrational spectroscopy and anharmonicity effects, Morse potential, roto-vibrational eigenvalues and coupling effects, polyatomic molecules: normal modes, principles of Raman spectroscopy, electronic spectra and Franck - Condon principle, effects of nuclear spin statistics in homonuclear diatomic
molecules

Crystal structures: translational invariance, Bravais lattices and Wigner-Seitz cell, reciprocal lattice and Brillouin cell, typical crystal structures

Electron states in crystals: the band concept, the Bloch orbital, role and properties of k, periodic boundary conditions , density of states, dispersion relations and critical points, the effective electron mass, electrons in empty lattice, weakly bound electrons, tightly bound electrons

Miscellaneous aspects related to the electronic structure: bonding mechanisms and cohesive energies, Ionic crystals, Lennard-Jones interaction and molecular crystals, electron states of magnetic ions in a crystal field, simple picture of the electric transport

Vibrational motions of the ions and thermal effects: motions of the ions in the harmonic approximation, branches and dispersion relations, the case of monoatomic and diatomic one-dimensional crystals, Einstein and Debye crystals, Phonons, thermal properties related to lattice vibrations, the Mossbauer effect

A. Rigamonti, P. Carretta, Structure of Matter: an Introductory Course with Problems and Solutions, Springer, 2015 (Third edition).

Written and oral exams. During the course written exams dedicated to each one of the three main topics (atoms, molecules and solids) will be performed. In order to access the oral examination the student will have to pass either the three aforementioned exams or a final written exam on the three main topics.