PHYSICS 140A
Introduction to Solid-State Physics
Description: Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Enforced requisite: course 112. Introduction to basic theoretical concepts of solid-state physics with applications. Crystal symmetry; cohesive energy; diffraction of electron, neutron, and electromagnetic waves in a lattice; reciprocal lattice; phonons and their interactions; free electron theory of metals; energy bands. Letter grading.
Units: 4.0
Units: 4.0
1 of 1
Most Helpful Review
Fall 2024 - The course description indicates this class being at an introductory level, yet students with previous experience and knowledge of solid state physics seemed to benefit more of it. Just taking this elective hoping to spark an interest and future exploration of this subject is a mistake. Without prior exposure to and prior understanding of the material, Professor Gutierrez's lectures can be disorienting and hard to follow. Bruinlearn notes were OK. The exams were the worst I've ever seen in the Physics department, where one small mistake on a previous subproblem will snowball into 25% or more loss of the exam grade, despite doing subsequent portions completely logically correct. If you're interested in this subject take ECE 123A instead.
Fall 2024 - The course description indicates this class being at an introductory level, yet students with previous experience and knowledge of solid state physics seemed to benefit more of it. Just taking this elective hoping to spark an interest and future exploration of this subject is a mistake. Without prior exposure to and prior understanding of the material, Professor Gutierrez's lectures can be disorienting and hard to follow. Bruinlearn notes were OK. The exams were the worst I've ever seen in the Physics department, where one small mistake on a previous subproblem will snowball into 25% or more loss of the exam grade, despite doing subsequent portions completely logically correct. If you're interested in this subject take ECE 123A instead.
AD
Most Helpful Review
Fall 2019 - The subject is very interesting and challenging, although this is just the preliminary stuff. The book, Kittel, is horrible and goes over a lot of stuff in an unsatisfying level of thoroughness making you want more. Jiang is OK as an instructor, not amazing and he basically sticks with the book. The exams, especially the final, are carbon copies of the homework. Nearly every question of the 8 questions on the final were exact repeats of the homework, so if you just spend quality time on the problem sets and study those, you'll get an A in the class.
Fall 2019 - The subject is very interesting and challenging, although this is just the preliminary stuff. The book, Kittel, is horrible and goes over a lot of stuff in an unsatisfying level of thoroughness making you want more. Jiang is OK as an instructor, not amazing and he basically sticks with the book. The exams, especially the final, are carbon copies of the homework. Nearly every question of the 8 questions on the final were exact repeats of the homework, so if you just spend quality time on the problem sets and study those, you'll get an A in the class.
AD
1 of 1
