- UCAS course code
- F305
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Master of Physics (MPhys)
MPhys Physics
Join a physics Department of international renown that offers great choice and flexibility, leading to master's qualification.
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Duration: 4 years
Year of entry: 2025
UCAS course code: F305 / Institution code: M20
- Key features:
Scholarships available
Accredited course
- Typical A-level offer: A*A*A including specific subjects
- Typical contextual A-level offer: A*AA including specific subjects
- Refugee/care-experienced offer: AAA including specific subjects
- Typical International Baccalaureate offer: 38 points overall with 7,7,6 at HL, including specific requirements
Fees and funding
Fees
Tuition fees for home students commencing their studies in September 2025 will be £9,535 per annum (subject to Parliamentary approval). Tuition fees for international students will be £36,500 per annum. For general information please see the undergraduate finance pages.
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Scholarships/sponsorships
The University of Manchester is committed to attracting and supporting the very best students. We have a focus on nurturing talent and ability and we want to make sure that you have the opportunity to study here, regardless of your financial circumstances.
For information about scholarships and bursaries please visit our undergraduate student finance pages and our Department funding pages .
Course unit details:
Frontiers of Solid State Physics
| Unit code | PHYS40411 |
|---|---|
| Credit rating | 10 |
| Unit level | Level 4 |
| Teaching period(s) | Semester 1 |
| Available as a free choice unit? | No |
Overview
Frontiers of Solid State Physics
Pre/co-requisites
| Unit title | Unit code | Requirement type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Properties of Matter | PHYS10352 | Pre-Requisite | Compulsory |
| PHYS20252 | Pre-Requisite | Compulsory | |
| Condensed Matter Physics | PHYS30051 | Pre-Requisite | Compulsory |
Aims
To present several topics of contemporary solid state physics.
Learning outcomes
On completion of the course, the students will be able to
1. Rationalise the concept of topology in solid state physics.
2. Analyse main quantum properties (charge, spin, valley, etc.) of low-dimensional materials and their heterostructures.
3. Analyse and describe main scanning probe techniques for characterization of low-dimensional systems
4. Conduct elementary calculations and estimations of quantities relevant to the various parts of the syllabus.
Syllabus
A. Mishchenko (12 Lectures)
- Quantum confinement in 2D, 1D, and 0D
- Physics of graphene, other 2D materials, and van der Waals heterostructures
- Many-body physics: magnetism and superconductivity in 2D
- Topological materials and quantum Hall effect
L. Fumagalli (12 Lectures)
- Fundamentals of scanning probe microscopy (SPM)
- Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy (STM)
- Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)
- Scanning Near-Field Optical Microscopy (SNOM)
- Overview of advanced SPM techniques and modes, including other electrical, optical and magnetic techniques
- Examples of SPM application to nanostructures and low-dimensional systems (2D, 1D, 0D)
Assessment methods
| Method | Weight |
|---|---|
| Written exam | 100% |
Feedback methods
Feedback will be available on students’ solutions to example problems, and model answers will be issued.
Recommended reading
Charles Kittel, Introduction to Solid State physics, (Wiley) 2005
Mikhail I. Katsnelson, Graphene: Carbon in Two Dimensions, (Cambridge University Press) 2012
Avouris, P., Heinz, T., & Low, T. 2D Materials: Properties and Devices. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) 2017
E. Meyer, H. J. Hug, R. Bennewitz, Scanning Probe Microscopy - The lab on a Tip Springer, Berlin, 2004.
Study hours
| Scheduled activity hours | |
|---|---|
| Assessment written exam | 1.5 |
| Lectures | 24 |
| Independent study hours | |
|---|---|
| Independent study | 74.5 |
Teaching staff
| Staff member | Role |
|---|---|
| Artem Mishchenko | Unit coordinator |
| Laura Fumagalli | Unit coordinator |