How to analyze band structure and the density of states?

In summary, analyzing band structure and the density of states involves understanding the energy levels and distribution of electrons in a solid material. This can be done through various techniques such as density functional theory and the use of band structure plots. The density of states reveals information about the electronic properties of a material, such as its conductivity and magnetic properties. By analyzing these factors, researchers can gain a better understanding of a material's physical and chemical properties, which is crucial for various applications in materials science and engineering.
  • #1
DemoniWaari
15
0
Hello!

I'm having my materialphysics exam in a few days, and looking some of the older exams I saw that there are many times questions about band structure and density of states. More specifically there might be a picture of some band structure plus the density of states, like this.
10575_1_zps17933ee3.jpg

Then they ask you to analyze this kind of a picture and give as much information as possible (according to the free electron model, nearly-free electron model and tight-binding).

So what I'm asking are some basic ways for me to analyze this. Like can I see the crystal structure from this(fcc, bcc, hcp)? And for extra, what kind of chemical properties do they have? I know that fcc has good catalytic properties, but I have no clue about the others.

Can I see the electron configuration? I know some basics on this, s-band is the parabolic band in around the gamma-point and p-band is a smaller parabole around the X-band (I think). But what about d and f? Also can I see how many electrons there are in a subshell?

Then I'd like to know how to draw a very basic representation of the band structure with only the knowledge of the specific electron structure.

I'm sorry if this should've gone to the homework forum, but this isn't homework per se so I thought to post it here.

Thanks!
 
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  • #2
i ma a similar trouble if you have any other then please share i am working on this problem i am a phd student doing project on dft
 
  • #3
Erum asadi said:
i ma a similar trouble if you have any other then please share i am working on this problem i am a phd student doing project on dft

First of all, you are responding to a post from 2013.

Secondly, what kind of a "trouble" are you having? You need to be very specific, and to show what you have attempted to understand. What exactly do you want to know, and what exactly do you know and had tried to do?

Zz.
 
  • #4
ZapperZ said:
First of all, you are responding to a post from 2013.

Secondly, what kind of a "trouble" are you having? You need to be very specific, and to show what you have attempted to understand. What exactly do you want to know, and what exactly do you know and had tried to do?

Zz.
actually i joined this forum today so new member and want to say you hellow and thanks for your quick response.
let me introduce briefly i m a Ph.D. student and doing work on dft wien2k simulation software which gives us density of states and band structure plots etc..
i want to correlate both of TDOS with bandstructure symmetry points according to typical shape of different bands s, p, d etc.
and want to know that how we can label peaks of density of states with exact orbital state like 2p,4d, etc.
thanks in advance sir please intoduce yourself also
 
  • #5
Erum asadi said:
actually i joined this forum today so new member and want to say you hellow and thanks for your quick response.
let me introduce briefly i m a Ph.D. student and doing work on dft wien2k simulation software which gives us density of states and band structure plots etc..
i want to correlate both of TDOS with bandstructure symmetry points according to typical shape of different bands s, p, d etc.
and want to know that how we can label peaks of density of states with exact orbital state like 2p,4d, etc.
thanks in advance sir please intoduce yourself also
Hi!

I'm new here...

I'm going to go right to the point. I know that when you take atoms and get them closer together, the discrete energy levels turn into bands. But when I'm facing a band structure plot, such as this one (band structure of aluminum nitride in wurtzite structure):

http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/8397/image7bp.png

Is there a way for me to say that this line corresponds, for example, to the 2p states, and this other line corresponds to the 3s states?

Namely: how can I read such a plot, and find the correspondance between the electronic configurations of the atoms involved, and the energy bands I see?

Thanks a lot, I'm getting confused here!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #6
It sounds from your posts as if your knowledge of band theory is really spotty at best. I'd suggest you pick up a good book on introductory solid state physics. The one I used in grad school was "Electronic properties of materials" by Rolf Hummel, but it's not that great. I recently found "Solids and Surfaces" by Roald Hoffmann to be a wonderful read filled with the insight that only a Nobel laureate such as Hoffmann can bring to a topic. It's also really useful if, like me, you're used to thinking of electronic structure in terms of molecules and you need a "dictionary," so to speak, to translate from the language of quantum chemistry to solid state physics.
 
  • #7
TeethWhitener said:
It sounds from your posts as if your knowledge of band theory is really spotty at best. I'd suggest you pick up a good book on introductory solid state physics. The one I used in grad school was "Electronic properties of materials" by Rolf Hummel, but it's not that great. I recently found "Solids and Surfaces" by Roald Hoffmann to be a wonderful read filled with the insight that only a Nobel laureate such as Hoffmann can bring to a topic. It's also really useful if, like me, you're used to thinking of electronic structure in terms of molecules and you need a "dictionary," so to speak, to translate from the language of quantum chemistry to solid state physics.
thank ou so much for your suggestion i will definitely go & search these books to read again thaks for you nice suggestion.
 
  • #8
Erum asadi said:
thank ou so much for your suggestion i will definitely go & search these books to read again thaks for you nice suggestion.
can you please refer me to a person who is using wien2k software of DFT for simulating crystalline solids
 

1. How do I plot the band structure and density of states?

To plot the band structure and density of states, you will need to first obtain the band structure data from a computational software or experimental measurement. You can then use a software package or coding language, such as Matlab or Python, to plot the data and generate a visual representation of the band structure and density of states. There are also online tools available that can help with plotting band structures and density of states.

2. What information can be obtained from analyzing the band structure and density of states?

Analyzing the band structure and density of states can provide important information about the electronic properties of a material. This includes the energy levels and band gaps, as well as the density of available states at different energies. This information can be used to understand the conduction and valence behavior of a material, as well as its potential applications in electronic devices.

3. How does band structure and density of states vary for different materials?

The band structure and density of states can vary greatly for different materials, as it depends on the electronic structure and composition of the material. In general, materials with more complex crystal structures tend to have more intricate band structures and density of states. The band structure and density of states can also be affected by external factors such as strain and doping.

4. What is the difference between a band structure and a density of states?

A band structure is a plot that shows the energy levels of a material's electrons and how they are distributed within the material. It provides information about the allowed energy states for electrons in the material. On the other hand, the density of states is a measure of the number of energy states available per unit energy range at a given energy. It gives information about the number of electrons that can occupy a certain energy level in the material.

5. How can band structure and density of states analysis be used in materials design?

Band structure and density of states analysis can be incredibly useful for materials design. By understanding the electronic properties of a material, researchers can tailor the band structure and density of states to achieve specific properties. For example, by manipulating the band structure and density of states, materials with desirable properties such as high conductivity or band gaps can be designed for specific applications.

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