Solid State Physics

1. Experimental Techniques
   1. X-ray Diffraction (XRD)
      1. Principle of operation
         1. Bragg's law
         2. Constructive interference
      2. Powder versus single-crystal diffraction
         1. Advantages and limitations
      3. Applications
         1. Phase identification
         2. Determination of crystal structure
         3. Estimation of crystallite size
      4. Data analysis
         1. Rietveld refinement
         2. Indexing patterns
   2. Electron Microscopy
      1. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)
         1. Principle and instrumentation
         2. Fourier transform applications
         3. High-resolution TEM
      2. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
         1. Working mechanism
         2. Sample preparation
         3. Imaging and contrast
      3. Comparison of TEM and SEM
         1. Resolution differences
         2. Sample types and preparation
   3. Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM)
      1. Basic principles
         1. Quantum tunneling
         2. Piezoelectric control
      2. Imaging atomic-resolution surfaces
      3. I-V characteristics
      4. Applications
         1. Surface structure studies
         2. Electronic properties at the atomic level
   4. Raman Spectroscopy
      1. Raman effect and Stokes/anti-Stokes scattering
      2. Instrumentation and laser source
      3. Applications in solid-state physics
         1. Characterization of carbon-based materials
         2. Stress and strain measurements
      4. Comparison with infrared spectroscopy
   5. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)
      1. Basic principles
         1. Magnetic resonance
         2. Relaxation times (T1, T2)
      2. Solid-state NMR techniques
         1. Magic angle spinning (MAS)
         2. Cross-polarization
      3. Applications
         1. Structural information of solids
         2. Dynamics of solid materials
   6. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)
      1. Operational principles
         1. Contact mode vs. non-contact mode
         2. Cantilever and tip technology
      2. Surface characterization
         1. Topography and height measurements
      3. Force measurements
         1. Force-distance curves
         2. Mechanical property evaluation
   7. Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS)
      1. Principles of sputtering and ionization
      2. Static vs. dynamic SIMS
      3. Depth profiling applications
      4. Trace element analysis
   8. Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) Spectroscopy
      1. Electron transitions and energy bands
      2. Absorption measurement techniques
      3. Band gap determination
      4. Applications in characterizing semiconductors
   9. Neutron Scattering
      1. Neutron diffraction and inelastic scattering
      2. Magnetic structure determination
      3. Neutron reflectometry
   10. Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES)
       1. Auger process fundamentals
       2. Surface analysis and depth profiling
       3. Chemical state identification
   11. Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS)
       1. Principles and applications
          1. Elemental analysis
          2. Phase distribution mapping
       2. Coupling with SEM/TEM
   12. Thermal Analysis Techniques
       1. Differential thermal analysis (DTA)
          1. Heat flow and thermal events
       2. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)
          1. Mass loss and decomposition studies
       3. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)
          1. Measurements of heat flows coupled with phase transitions
   13. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)
       1. Basics of molecular vibrations
       2. Infrared absorption and functional group analysis
       3. Solid-state applications
          1. Spectroscopic fingerprinting
          2. Surface adsorbates study
   14. Photoelectron Spectroscopy (PES)
       1. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)
          1. Surface-sensitive elemental analysis
          2. Chemical state determination
       2. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS)
          1. Valence states and band structure analysis