Solid-state physics:
Introduction:
Solid-state physics is the study of rigid matter, or solids, using techniques from metallurgy, electromagnetism, crystallography, and quantum mechanics. The study of condensed matter is dominated by this field. In solid-state physics, it is investigated how the atomic-scale characteristics of solid materials translate into their large-scale characteristics. As a result, the theoretical foundation of materials science is solid-state physics. It also has direct uses, such as in semiconductor and transistor technologies.
Atoms that are tightly packed together and interact vigorously give rise to solid materials. The mechanical (such as hardness and elasticity), thermal, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties of solids are produced by these interactions. The atoms may be arranged in a regular, geometric pattern (crystalline solids, which include metals and common water ice) or randomly, depending on the material and the circumstances of its formation (an amorphous solid such as common window glass).
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Solid-state physics |
As a general theory, the majority of solid-state physics is centered on crystals. This is mostly due to the fact that mathematical modeling is made easier by the periodicity of the atoms in a crystal, which is its distinguishing feature. Similar to this, crystalline materials frequently have engineering-relevant electrical, magnetic, optical, or mechanical properties.
Various types of forces can exist between the atoms in a crystal. For instance, the sodium and chlorine atoms in a crystal of sodium chloride (common salt) are linked together by ionic bonds. Covalent bonds are created when atoms in other systems share electrons. In metallic bonding, electrons in metals are distributed throughout the entire crystal. Finally, none of these bonding processes occur with noble gases. The polarization of the electrical charge cloud on each atom results in van der Waals forces, which hold the noble gases together when they are solid. The variations in their bonding cause the distinctions between the various forms of solids.
History:
Since the beginning of science, people have been interested in the physical properties of solids. However, solid-state physics as a distinct field did not begin to develop until the 1940s, specifically with the founding of the Division of Solid State Physics (DSSP) within the American Physical Society. Solid-state physics came to be connected with the practical applications made available by solid-state research because the DSSP catered to industrial physicists. The DSSP was the American Physical Society's biggest division by the early 1960s.
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Solid-state physics |
After World War II, significant solid state physics communities also arose in Europe, particularly in England, Germany, and the Soviet Union. Solid state research into semiconductors, superconductivity, nuclear magnetic resonance, and numerous other phenomena led to it becoming a well-known field in the US and Europe. In the 1970s and 1980s, several physicists founded the discipline of condensed matter physics, which was structured around common methodologies used to study solids, liquids, plasmas, and other complex materials. Research in solid state physics during the early Cold War was sometimes not limited to solids. Today, condensed matter is often regarded as the domain of solid-state physics. physics that concentrates on the characteristics of solids with regular crystal lattices is frequently referred to as hard condensed matter.
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