PHYSICS 601, FALL 2026

Solid State Physics I

Instructor:

Prof. David Vanderbilt Office: Serin E291 Email: dhv@physics.rutgers.edu Phone: 848-445-9049 Office Hours: By arrangement

Welcome to Physics 601!

This is the first semester of a two-semester sequence covering the essentials of condensed matter (or solid state) physics at the graduate level. A basic knowledge is expected of quantum mechanics at the level of Physics 501-502, including second quantization.

Syllabus: The topics to be covered tentatively include

• Crystal symmetries
• Electronic states and Bloch's theorem
• Nearly free and tight binding limits
• Electron dynamics and anomalous velocity
• Lattice vibrations and their quantization
• Density functional theory
• Fermi liquid theory
• The quantum Hall effect
• Topological electronic states (if time permits)

Physics 602, offered in the spring, is planned to cover screening and optical properties, the Boltzmann equation and transport theory, magnetism, electron-phonon interactions, superconductivity, and topological electronic states (if not covered in the fall).

Lectures: Lectures are currently scheduled for Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:50-5:10pm in SEC206. However, I may consider a change of schedule if the class members are flexible. Lecture should be as interactive as possible; you are definitely encouraged to ask questions, or express what is confusing you, in the lecture. Also, I strongly recommend that you read the corresponding textbook material before lecture, so that you can come prepared to ask questions about the points that you find unclear.

Textbook: The primary text will be Fundamentals of Condensed Matter Physics, by M.L. Cohen and S.G. Louie (Cambridge University Press, 2016). I strongly encourage students to own some actual physical textbooks, and this is an excellent one. It is not cheap, at about $100, but you might find a used copy online for less, and in any case it will be the primary text for both semesters.

Course management: The Canvas page for this course will be used for posting announcements, assigning and collecting homeworks, posting homework solutions, etc.

Homeworks: Since people usually "learn by doing," the homeworks are an extremely important part of the course experience. Homeworks will be due approximately every two weeks. Some discussion among yourselves and some browsing through books is encouraged in the early stages of attacking homework problems, but the write-up must be your own work.

Exams: I plan to have in-person midterm and final exams. In addition, there may be a short final project assigned at the end of the term. Further guidance will be provided as the time draws closer.

Grades: The final grade will be based on the homework assignments, the midterm and final exam, and the end-of-term assignment (if any). Homework and exam grades will be recorded on the Canvas site.

Communication: I prefer direct email over Canvas messaging. I haven't decided whether to post regular office hours, but in any case you are free to see me at other times. If it is a quick question, just drop in. Otherwise, make an appointment by email for an in-person or Zoom meeting. Always fee free to contact me by email about any aspect of the course.

Course Policies and Student Resources: Please read here for departmental and university information on services for students with disabilities, student wellness services, the university honor policy, etc.