513.001 Molecular and Solid State Physics

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Wolfram Alpha

Physical
Constants

Periodic System
of Elements

      

Possible oral exam questions about crystal physics

  • The thermal expansion coefficient describes how the strain changes as the temperature changes. What rank tensor is the thermal expansion coefficient?
  • How can the symmetry of the crystal reduce the number of independent components of a tensor?
  • How would you calculate the pyroelectric coefficients from the microscopic quantum states (electron states and phonon states) of the crystal?
  • When transistors are made from silicon, usually the [100] direction is perpendicular to the surface. Does it matter if the transistors are made so that the current flows in the [010] direction or the [011] direction? Why or why not?