Prerequisites:
Course Contents
Chemical crystallography
Introduction, Space lattice, Crystal point groups, space group (working knowledge), Stereographic projections, Packing in solids, Crystal structures of representative systems, Silicates and Zeolites, Cements, Glasses, Quasicrystals, Nanostructures.
Bonding in solids and Crystal energetics
Crystal classifications, Madelung constant and Lattice energy.
Characterization techniques (working knowledge) for solids
X-ray diffraction, Electron microscopy (SEM, TEM, AFM), Thermal techniques (TG, DTA, DSC), Spectroscopic techniques (Mossbauer, IR, UV-VIS) and Physical property measurement techniques (Magnetic moments-VSM /SQUID, Electrical resistivity – Two / Four probe methods and thermal conductivity, Optical band gap, XPES, XAS).
Electronic properties and Band theory of solids
Free electron model, Metals, semiconductors and insulators, doped semiconductors Solid state ionics.
Defects, Nonstoichiometry and Diffusion
Point defects, Dislocations, Extended defects, Clusters and aggregates, Color centres, Non-stoichiometry of compounds, Diffusion mechanisms, Fick’s law, Kirkenall effect.
Phase transitions
Critical phenomena, variety of phase transitions (Ordered- disorder, Martensite-austenite, Spinoidal decompositions etc), Liquid crystals, Structure-property relations (magnetic, electrical, superconductivity, optical and thermal).
Preparative techniques
Powder synthesis by conventional and modern chemical methods, Reactivity of solids, Decomposition mechanisms, Powder processing (sintering and diffusion processes), Tailoring of solids, Special methods for single crystal growth and thin films depositions.
