Basics of Solid-State Physics: Thermal Properties
Preface
Purpose of the Lecture Notes
These lecture notes were prepared for the course Fundamentals in Solid State Physics – Thermal Properties, which will be taught for the first time in the summer semester 2026 at the Institute of Materials Science, Faculty of Mechanical Science and Engineering, TU Dresden. Their aim is to provide a clear and accessible introduction to the thermal properties of solids, with an emphasis on physical understanding and explicit derivations.
Target Audience
These notes are intended for advanced undergraduate students, graduate students, and readers who wish to refresh their knowledge of the fundamentals of solid-state physics, with a particular focus on thermal properties.
How the Book Is Structured
Each chapter corresponds approximately to a 90-minute lecture. Taken together, the chapters are designed to provide a coherent introduction to the thermal properties of solids, progressing from fundamental concepts to more advanced topics.
Pedagogical Approach
The notes aim to provide an accessible introduction to the subject while keeping the central physical results explicit and transparent. Key results are derived in detail whenever possible. Some derivations, remarks, or supplementary discussions are included as optional material in order to support readers who would like a deeper understanding without interrupting the main line of argument.
How to Use These Lecture Notes
These lecture notes accompany a course that is taught in person, but they are also intended to be useful for self-study. Readers may work through the chapters sequentially as part of a lecture course or use them selectively to review specific topics in solid-state physics and thermal properties.
Acknowledgments
These lecture notes were inspired in part by the following textbooks, but all text and figures are original.
J. Solyom, Fundamentals of the Physics of Solids, Volume 1: Structure and Dynamics https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-72600-5
J. Solyom, Fundamentals of the Physics of Solids, Volume 2: Electronic Properties https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-85316-9
H. Ibach and H. Lüth, Festkörperphysik https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-85795-2
R. Gross and A. Marx, Festkörperphysik https://doi.org/10.1524/9783110358704
Additional Resources
Will be added later.
License Information
Except where otherwise noted, the text and original figures in these lecture notes are licensed under CC BY 4.0. Third-party figures are not covered by this license unless explicitly stated; their source, author, and license are given in the figure captions.
Citation Information
Will be added later.