Quantum Physics for Materials Science Students

This 14-week course is a comprehensive guide to quantum physics tailored for undergraduate materials science students. It outlines the transition from classical physics to modern quantum mechanics, beginning with foundational concepts like blackbody radiation, Planck’s constant, and the wavefunction. The material simplifies complex topics through everyday analogies, explaining how the Born-Oppenheimer approximation, Bloch's theorem, and Density-Functional Theory (DFT) make large-scale calculations feasible. Furthermore, the slides provide a mathematical framework involving Fourier series, linear independence, and expectation values to describe the behavior of particles. Ultimately, the source serves as a bridge to help students understand how quantum states and electronic structures govern the physical properties of real-world materials and crystals.