OVERVIEW

The teaching is dedicated to the study of the dielectric, magnetic, and transport properties of various classes of materials, analyzing their behavior as a function of specific characteristic parameters. It represents a natural complement to the study of electromagnetism in a vacuum, introducing microscopic quantities through phenomenological models, which will be further explored in the Solid State Physics teaching.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The teaching aims to provide knowledge of the electrical and magnetic properties of materials and their applications, starting from the observation and interpretation of experimental data. Students will acquire the basic interpretative models needed to analyze physical phenomena and determine the characteristic parameters of materials.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The specific educational objective of this teaching is to provide students with the skills necessary to analyze experimental measurements of electrical and magnetic properties, in order to extract the fundamental characteristic quantities of the material under investigation.
By the end of the teaching, students will be able to:

•     identify the main physical quantities that characterize a material,
•     estimate their order of magnitude,
•     predict the behavior of a material in the presence of electric and magnetic fields.

In addition, students will become familiar with the main measurement techniques for electrical and magnetic properties, as well as with some preparation and characterization methods for materials, including lamination, X-ray diffraction, and measurements of magnetization and resistivity.

PREREQUISITES

Background in electromagnetism in vacuum

TEACHING METHODS

46 in-front hours
15 hours in the laboratory
The in-front lectures are given on the blackboard and include presentations and descriptions of the teaching topics as well as exercises on the analysis of experimental data and the calculation of physical quantities. They are also carried out with the aid of powerpoint presentations to illustrate measurement techniques and experimental data. l
Laboratory experiments are carried out on the outline provided in advance and always in the presence of the lecturer.
Students with valid certifications for Specific Learning Disorders (SLDs), disabilities or other educational needs are invited to contact the teacher and the School's contact person for disability at the beginning of teaching to agree on possible teaching arrangements that, while respecting the teaching objectives, take into account individual learning patterns. Contacts of the School's disability contact person can be found at the following link Comitato di Ateneo per l’inclusione delle studentesse e degli studenti con disabilità o con DSA | UniGe | Università di Genova

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Frontal lectures:
Dielectric materials
Dipole moment and field generated by molecules and charge systems.
Dielectric properties of insulators: Polarisability, polarisation vector and dielectric constant.
Dense dielectrics, Clausius-Mossotti's law and some remarks on ferroelectric materials
Magnetisms in materials
Microscopic currents and atomic magnetic moments.
Magnetic properties in materials: Diamagnetism and paramagnetism.
Magnetised materials: Magnetising current and magnetic field in matter.
Ferromagnetic substances: Hysteresis cycle of an iron magnet. Soft, hard magnetic materials.
Conduction in metals
Free electron model and Drude's and Sommerfeld's model
Application to electrical properties (electrical and thermal conductivity, Hall effect, thermoelectric power in metals).
Guided laboratory experiments:
Measurement of the magnetic field inside a coil in the presence of an iron core.
Resistivity measurements on graphite samples
Rolling and annealing of copper samples and measurement of resistivity under temperature variation".
 

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

""P.Mazzoldi, M.Nigro, C.Voci ""Elements of Physics: Electromagnetism and Waves."", EdiSES
Principles of Electronic Materials and Devices, by KASAP, McGraw-Hill Education,
Kittel - Introduction to Solid State Physics
Material available on Aulaweb.""

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

From 23 February 2026 according to the timetable  on the course website

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Written test lasting one hour. Passing the written test with a mark of more than 15/30 gives access to the oral test.
Oral test lasting approximately 30 minutes.
The final grade will be the result of the average of the evaluation of the written test, the oral test and the evaluation of the laboratory reports, to be handed in at least seven days before the oral examination.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The verification of learning is based on a written test, an oral test and in the evaluation of laboratory reports.
- Written test: this consists of solving exercises aimed at verifying the correct application of the physical laws covered in the course, accuracy in estimating orders of magnitude and the appropriate use of units of measurement.
- Oral test: this comprises the discussion of the written test, the laboratory reports and the topics covered during the course. It aims to assess the student's general preparation in the field of materials physics, with particular emphasis on the ability to relate physical properties to the structure of materials. During the examination, the completeness of knowledge, clarity of exposition, propriety of language and the ability to frame concepts and phenomena in an organic manner will be considered.
- Laboratory reports: these will be specifically assessed to verify the student's ability to apply the acquired knowledge to the analysis of experimental data and to effectively present the results obtained."

FURTHER INFORMATION

No further information