1. Atomic structure of matter
Evolution of the atomic theory. Indirect evidence from chemistry and crystallography. Direct evidence: diffraction and microscopic methods: XRD, LEED, STM/AFM. Observation of atoms, molecules, surfaces and volume of matter.
2. Photons and matter waves
The photon - the quantum of light (photoelectric effect, Compton scattering, the double-slit experiment with photons). Electrons and matter waves (the double-slit experiment with electrons). Diffraction of
3. Fundamentals of quantum mechanics
The wave function and Schroedinger equation, probability density. Heisenbergs uncertainty principle. Barrier tunnelling. One-dimensional electron traps; quantisation. Quantum jumps; absorption and emission of photon. Two- and three dimensional electron traps.
4. Atom
Nuclear atom, atomic spectra. One-electron approximation. Three pillars of electronic structure: quantization of energy and angular momentum, spin and Pauli principle. Atoms in magnetic field (Zeeman effect and Stern-Gerlach experiment). Walk through the periodic system and its interpretation. Atomic spectroscopy (the absorption and emission spectroscopy as a fingerprinting). Photoelectron spectroscopy. Lasers. Magnetic properties of atoms.
5. Molecules and solids
Main types of the chemical bonds (ionic, covalent, metallic, van der Waals). The structure of small molecules and their spectra. The structure of solids. The electronic bandstructure of solids; metal and insulator. Semiconductors. Conductivity of metals and semiconductors.
6. Fundamentals of nuclear and particle physics
Proton and neutron. Nuclear properties. Nuclear binding energies. Radioactive decay. Nuclear reactions; nuclear models; nuclear fission and fusion. And particles, particles, particles.