PHY3023 : Advanced Materials and Solid-State Physics - Undergraduate Study

Offered for Year: 2020/21

Module Leader(s): Dr Toby Hallam

Owning School: Mathematics, Statistics and Physics
Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus

Semesters

Semester 1 Credit Value:	10
ECTS Credits:	5.0

Aims

To further develop the understanding of material concepts and to understand advanced concepts such as band theory.

Outline Of Syllabus

1. Crystalline Materials
• Structure
• Reciprocal space
• Diffraction
• Brillouin zone

2. Free Electrons
• Drude model
• Sommerfeld model

3. Nearly free electrons
• Bloch waves
• Central Equation
• Kronig Penney
• Band gap

4. Semiconductors
• Bands
• Holes
• Dopants and carriers
• Simple devices

5. Modern materials
• Graphene
• Carbon nanotubes
• Organic metals and semiconductors

Teaching Methods

Please note that module leaders are reviewing the module teaching and assessment methods for Semester 2 modules, in light of the Covid-19 restrictions. There may also be a few further changes to Semester 1 modules. Final information will be available by the end of August 2020 in for Semester 1 modules and the end of October 2020 for Semester 2 modules.

Teaching Activities

Category	Activity	Number	Length	Student Hours	Comment
Guided Independent Study	Assessment preparation and completion	36	0:30	18:00	Lecture content online
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities	Small group teaching	3	1:30	4:30	PIP tutorial/problem class
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities	Drop-in/surgery	6	0:30	3:00	Online office hours
Guided Independent Study	Independent study	3	10:00	30:00	Preparation, writing up of assessed assignments.
Guided Independent Study	Independent study	40	1:00	40:00	Reviewing lecture notes, reviewing recap, general reading
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities	Scheduled on-line contact time	3	1:30	4:30	Synchronous online tutorial/problem class
Total				100:00

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Non-synchronous online materials are used for the delivery of theory and explanation of methods, illustrated with examples, and for giving general feedback on assessed work. Present-in-person and synchronous online sessions are used to help develop the students’ abilities at applying the theory to solving problems and to identify and resolve specific queries raised by students, and to allow students to receive individual feedback on marked work. Students who cannot attend a present-in-person session will be provided with an alternative activity allowing them to access the learning outcomes of that session. In addition, office hours/discussion board activity will provide an opportunity for more direct contact between individual students and the lecturer: a typical student might spend a total of one or two hours over the course of the module, either individually or as part of a group.
Alternatives will be offered to students unable to be present-in-person due to the prevailing C-19 circumstances.
Student’s should consult their individual timetable for up-to-date delivery information.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment

Description	Semester	When Set	Percentage	Comment
Written exercise	1	M	40	Bookwork all-semester problem set
Computer assessment	1	M	30	Mid-semester programming task
Written exercise	1	M	30	Final week challenge, problem set

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Written exercise 1 provides the opportunity for the student to demonstrate their understanding of the lecture course material. Two further assignments of equal weight allow the students to develop their problem solving techniques, to practice the methods learnt in the module, to assess their progress and to receive feedback; this assessment has a secondary formative purpose as well as a primary summative purpose.

Reading Lists

PHY3023's Reading List

Timetable

Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
PHY3023's Timetable

Module