2024 Faculty Courses School of Engineering Department of Mechanical Engineering Graduate major in Energy Science and Informatics
Optical properties of solids
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Energy Science and Informatics
- Instructor(s)
- Shinya Koshihara / Yoichi Okimoto
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 5-6 Tue / 5-6 Fri
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- ESI.I410
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2024
- Offered quarter
- 4Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 14, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course will focus on the following three topics. (1) The instructor will explain the features of the condensed phase, especially the energy band structure which is the electric state which arises within the periodic potential of crystals. Based on that, students will also learn basic knowledge about the photoexcited state of condensed phase substances and related elementary excitation (exciton state). (2) When energy is provided to substances through photoexcitation, a non-equilibrium excitation state occurs. Especially for condensed systems, new phenomena arise that are closely related to joint phenomena (light-induced phase transition). Students will study further basic topics necessary (in addition to (1), electron correlation effect, etc.) for understanding new developments in optical materials science, will be taught about the newest achievements and newest measurement techniques, with a focus on organic materials. (3) For inorganic materials such as transition metal oxides, the instructor will then introduce special electronic properties due to the electron correlation effect, and features of the photoexcited state in solids, just as with organic materials.
Course description and aims
Based on electronic band structure, students in this course will gain an understanding of the relationship between transfer, magnetism, and optical properties shown by all sorts of solids and condensed phase materials. From the other direction, students will learn to analyze the electronic state of solids from all sorts of properties. The purpose of this course is that by building on that basic knowledge, the course will convey the new vitality of the solids science field seen with photoconduction from electron correlation and electron-lattice interaction, its influence on optical properties, and control of phase transition by light that makes use of it.
Keywords
Solid state physics, Band model, cooperative interaction, phase transition, electoron correlation energy, electron-lattice interaction, photocarrier generation precess, photoinduced cooperative phenomena
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
In the first half of the course, Koshihara will lecture on (1) the concepts of basic solid physics and the optical properties of materials, and (2) features of the photoexcited state and effect of all sorts of interactions in solids on optical properties. In the second half, Okimoto will use transition metal oxides as a concrete example to explain the optical properties and optical response of materials with strong synergistic internal interactions.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | General explanation about this course, basic concepts about the electronic state in solid |
What is the characteristics of the electronic state in soilid ? |
| Class 2 | Chracteristics of the electronic state in solids, Band model of the electronic state in crystal |
What is the difference in optical properties of Insulatoir and Metal? |
| Class 3 | Microscopic physical model of excited states in solid |
Can we design insulator-semiconductor with rather wide optical gap based on the band model ? |
| Class 4 | Light-matter interaction in photoexcited state |
What occurs in solid by light iradiation ? |
| Class 5 | Effect of high density excited states in solids |
What is the difference between "one grouping" and "several"? |
| Class 6 | Phase transition due to strong electron-lattice couplings which plays imprtant role in organic sokids |
What happens in the solid with fluctuated lattice? |
| Class 7 | Cooperative response of organic solids via photoexcited states |
What can be induced by collaboration between excited state and cooperative interaction ? |
| Class 8 | Differences between inorganic materials and organic materials |
What is the characteristics of the electronic state in soilid ? |
| Class 9 | Characteristics of the electronic state of inorganic materials, electron correlation effect |
What is the strongly correlated effect? |
| Class 10 | Synergies created from competition between electron correlation and electron-lattice interaction |
Relationship between the strongly correlation and electron-lattice interaction |
| Class 11 | Optical properties of inorganic materials |
What are the dielectric function and refractive index? |
| Class 12 | New optical properties created from the electron correlation effect (focusing on transition metal oxides) |
What are the transition metal compounds? |
| Class 13 | Photoexcited state of transition metal oxides |
What is the electronic state in the strongly correlated electron systems? |
| Class 14 | Synergies mediated by photoexcited state Focusing on transition metal oxides |
Maxwell's equations and electromagnetism in solid |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to study class content afterwards (including assignments) with referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Optical Properties of Advanced Materials, Springer Series in Materials Science 168, ed. by Y.Aoyagi and K.Kajikawa.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Optical Properties of Low-Dimensional Materials" (World Scientific, Singapore, 1998), ed. by T.Ogawa and Y.Kanemitsu, Vol2.
Photo Induced Phase Transition" ed. by K. Nasa (World Scientific, Singapore 2004)
Evaluation methods and criteria
The knowledges about the basic physical and chemical concepts which is necessary for understanding carrier generation process and exotic optical properties of correlated materials will be evaluated. Evaluation will be made by reports during the lecture course and/or final test.
Related courses
- PHY.C340 ： Basic Solid State Physics
- CHM.B335 ： Chemistry of Solids
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge about quantum mechanics and interst in the condensed matter chemistry and physics
Other
As for this lecture course, ’in person style' will be basically utilized.