This course introduces the essential principles of materials science with a special focus on semiconductors — the key materials behind modern electronics and energy technologies. Students will explore how atomic structure, crystal symmetry, bonding, and defects determine the electrical, optical, and thermal properties of materials. Topics include crystal structures, bonding characteristics, phase diagrams, energy bands, vibration, and defects in crystalline solids. Building on these fundamentals, the course examines how semiconductors function in devices such as diodes, transistors, energy conversion, and solar cells. The relationships between material properties and device performance will be emphasized throughout. Through lectures, demonstrations, and problem-based exercises, students will develop both conceptual understanding and analytical skills needed to study and design semiconductor materials and devices. Weekly Topics: 1 Introduction to this course and what’s unique about the materials 2 Atomistic arrangement and crystal structure 3 Materials with metallic bonding 4 Materials with ionic bonding 5 Materials with covalent bonding 6 Phase diagram and equilibrium 7 Mechanical behavior of materials 8 Mid-semester examination 9 Electronic structure of materials 10 Atomic vibrations in materials 11 Introduction to semiconductors 12 Carrier mobility and thermal conductivity 13 Defects and their implications in semiconductors 14 Optical response of semiconductors 15 Special topic: Semiconductors for energy applications 16 Final examination

-Understand the physical foundation of materials. -Be able to practice calculating basic properties of materials. -Understand the relationship between structure, symmetry, chemical bonding, and properties of materials. -Update modern knowledge about semiconductor materials.

No prerequisites are required to take this course, but students are asked to prepare a basic background on their own. * Mid-semester examination (50%): 3 hours * Final examination (50%): 3 hours

-N. T. Hung, A. R. T. Nugraha and R. Saito, Quantum ESPRESSO Course for Solid-State Physics, Jenny Stanford Publishing, New York, 372 Pages, (2022). -E. Kaxiras, J. D. Joannopoulos - Quantum Theory of Materials (2019, Cambridge University Press). -C. Kittel, Introduction Solid State Physics (1953).