Which is the best book for solid state physics?

https://www.quora.com/Which-is-the-best-book-for-solid-state-physics

Felix Chen, Ph.D., Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles

Answered May 24, 2017

Asked to answer, so I’ll jump in here.

Kittel is probably the most popular out there. I don’t like it as much, though, because in my opinion Kittel’s style is a bit terse in that he doesn’t provide as much detail into deriving the equations as I’d like. So I’ll offer up a few alternatives including my favorite.

First, for an elementary introduction to the field covering crystal geometry, free electron theory, characterization, and physical properties, I like Simon:

The Oxford Solid State Basics: Steven H. Simon: 9780199680771: Amazon.com: Books

It’s well written and presupposes a basic understanding of quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics, and thermodynamics. It’s less than 300 pages and thus slim, but it imparts the fundamentals clearly. I’d place this book squarely at the undergraduate level even though it does occasionally invoke more advanced material but nothing that should deter a determined student.

For a more in-depth treatment of electronic effects such as transport, scattering, and absorption, I find Bube quite readable:

Electronic Properties of Crystalline Solids: An Introduction to Fundamentals: Richard H. Bube: 9780124143487: Amazon.com: Books

I’d put its level at beginning graduate. For example, Bube uses perturbation theory in several places, but his prose is lucid such that you won’t feel left behind.

Finally, my favorite solid state physics text is McKelvey:

Solid State Physics for Engineering and Materials Science: John Philip McKelvey: 9780894644368: Amazon.com: Books

An advanced undergraduate who’s gone through McKelvey will gain a deep understanding of those aspects of solid state physics pertinent to, as the title states, materials science and also related fields such as electrical engineering thanks to the book’s emphasis on semiconductors. What makes this textbook particularly suitable for undergraduates is its two detailed introductory chapters on quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics. An example of the thoroughness of the quantum mechanics chapter is that it starts at the very beginning with Planck’s assault on modeling blackbody radiation and then goes on to cover operators, eigenfunctions, and eventually the solution to the hydrogen atom. You get a mini-course in quantum mechanics that prepares you well for the remainder of the text. Similarly, the chapter on statistical mechanics covers Fermi-Dirac statistics and the Boltzmann distribution, absolutely indispensable for understanding the ensuing material on semiconductor physics and devices. If your field of interest is semiconductors and devices, McKelvey would be my recommendation.