| Solid State Physics |
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Information AboutSolid State Physics |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT SOLID-STATE PHYSICS | |
| condensed matter physics | |
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Solid-state physics, the largest branch of Condensed Matter Physics , is the study of rigid Matter , or Solid s. The bulk of solid-state physics theory and research is focused on Crystal s, largely because the Periodicity of Atom s in a crystal — its defining characteristic —facilitates mathematical modeling, and also because crystalline materials often have Electrical , Magnetic , Optical , or Mechanical properties that can be exploited for Engineering purposes. The framework of most solid-state physics theory is the Schrödinger (wave) formulation of non-relativistic Quantum Mechanics . Bloch's Theorem , which characterizes the Wavefunction s of Electron s in a periodic Potential , is an important starting point for much analysis. Since Bloch's Theorem applies only to periodic potentials, and since unceasing random movements of atoms in a crystal disrupt periodicity, Bloch's Theorem is only an approximation, but it has proven to be a tremendously valuable approximation, without which most solid-state physics analysis would be intractable. Deviations from Periodicity are treated by quantum mechanical Perturbation Theory . TOPICS
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