2025 (Current Year) Faculty Courses School of Materials and Chemical Technology Department of Materials Science and Engineering Graduate major in Materials Science and Engineering
Introduction to Solid State Science
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Materials Science and Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Yutaka Majima / Toshio Kamiya / Hidenori Hiramatsu / Yoshihiro Gohda / Hiroko Yokota / Sachiko Matsushita
- Class Format
- Lecture (Livestream)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 1-2 Mon (J2-302(J233)) / 1-2 Thu (J2-302(J233))
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- MAT.C414
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2025
- Offered quarter
- 4Q
- Syllabus updated
- Oct 8, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
Solid state science offers a basis for materials and electronic devices. A comprehensive understanding of the fundamental physics underlying is crucially important to pursue a research study of materials and electronic devices. This course begins with a brief review of band theory in solids, and covers other fundamental physical phenomena including semiconductors, Fermi surfaces and metals, superconductivity, paramagnetism, ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism, dielectrics and ferroelectrics, and surface and interface physics, aiming at understanding the essences of the condensed matter science.
Course description and aims
By the end of this course, students will be able to understand the essences of several important phenomena in condensed matter science, including semiconductors, Fermi surfaces and metals, superconductivity, paramagnetism, ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism, dielectrics and ferroelectrics, and surface and interface physics.
Keywords
Semiconductors, Fermi Surfaces and Metals, Superconductivity, Paramagnetism, Ferromagnetism and Antiferromagnetism, Dielectrics and Ferroelectrics, Surface and Interface Physics
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
To get a good understanding of the course contents, exercise problems are provided.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Fundamental of semiconductors: band theory |
Understand crystal structures |
| Class 2 | Phonon |
Understand Phonon |
| Class 3 | Characteristics of the electronic structure 1 |
Understand how to characterise the electronic structure |
| Class 4 | Characteristics of the electronic structure 2 |
Understand how to characterize the electronic structure |
| Class 5 | Review of fundamental physics of superconductivity: Part 1 |
Understand fundamental physics of superconductivity: Part 1 |
| Class 6 | Review of fundamental physics of superconductivity: Part 2 |
Understand fundamental physics of superconductivity: Part 2 |
| Class 7 | Review of fundamental physics of magnetic moments and paramagnetism |
Understand fundamental physics of magnetic moments and paramagnetism |
| Class 8 | Review of fundamental physics of magnetic interactions |
Review of fundamental physics of magnetic interactions |
| Class 9 | Review of fundamental physics of dielectrics and ferroelectrics: Part 1 |
Understand fundamental physics of dielectrics and ferroelectrics |
| Class 10 | Review of fundamental physics of dielectrics and ferroelectrics: Part 2 |
Understand dielectric and ferroelectric materials |
| Class 11 | Fundamentals of semiconductors: band theory |
Understand the band theory |
| Class 12 | Properties and applications of semiconductors |
Understand electronic properties and Applications of semiconductors |
| Class 13 | Review of semiconductors and fermi surfaces |
Cultivate a better understanding of Semiconductors, Fermi Surfaces and Metals |
| Class 14 | Review of superconductivity, magnetism, dielectrics, surface and Interface Physics |
Cultivate a better understanding of Superconductivity, Magnetism, Dielectrics, Surface and Interface Physics |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Charles Kittel's "Introduction to Solid State Physics, 8th Edition." （Wiley)
Reference books, course materials, etc.
No prerequisites.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Assessment is based on a small test or report and on the status of submission thereof.
Related courses
- MAT.C400 ： Crystals Science
- MAT.C401 ： Advanced Course of Dielectric and Ferroelectric Materials
- MAT.C404 ： Physics and Chemistry of Semiconductors
- MAT.C406 ： Advanced Course of Magnetism
- MAT.M407 ： Advanced Solid State Physics
- MAT.M408 ： Quantum Statistical Mechanics
Prerequisites
Students must be familiar with Chapters 1-7 of Charles Kittel's "Introduction to Solid State Physics, 8th Edition."