Quantum Theory of Electronic and Optical Excitations in Materials

Introduction to the fundamentals of solid-state physics and materials science, with emphasis in electronic and optical excitation processes. We will develop quantum formalisms to understand concepts including: elementary excitations in materials, crystal symmetry and Bloch's theorem, electronic bandstructure and methods to compute it (including tight-binding and density-functional theory), linear response theory, dielectric functions, as well as electronic transitions and optical properties of solids. We apply these methods to understand the electronic and optical properties of real materials, including bulk metals, semiconductors, and 2D materials.