Conduction Energy Band for Intrinsic Silicon

In summary: Sorry if I wasn't clear. Perhaps I should stake it like so. I wish to calculate the electron density in the conduction band for intrinsic silicon at T = 300K.The formula I found is n = N_c exp\left [ -\frac {E_c - Ef}{kT}\right] \text { with } N_c = 2 \left( \frac {2 \pi m_e kT}{h^2}\right)^{3/2} But I don't know what Ec nor Ef is. How can I find out?To calculate the electron density in the conduction band for intrinsic silicon, you need to know Ec
  • #1
Corneo
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I am trying to find a way to calculate the Ec for intrinsic silicon at room temperature. I can't seem to find anything in my textbook for that. I have searched on line and the closest thing I can find is

[tex]E_c = E_g + \frac {\hbar^2 k^2}{2m_e}[/tex]

I know what Eg = 1.12 eV for intrinsic silicon at room temp. However is there another way? Possibly a table or CRC?
 
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  • #2
Corneo said:
I am trying to find a way to calculate the Ec for intrinsic silicon at room temperature. I can't seem to find anything in my textbook for that. I have searched on line and the closest thing I can find is

[tex]E_c = E_g + \frac {\hbar^2 k^2}{2m_e}[/tex]

I know what Eg = 1.12 eV for intrinsic silicon at room temp. However is there another way? Possibly a table or CRC?

Er... I don't quite understand what exactly it is what you want to do. Do you want to find the band width of the conduction band up to the vacuum level? Or do you want to "calculate" the band structure of silicon in particular? The latter isn't trivial, and will require something such as a linear combination of atomic orbital (lcao) technique.

Zz.
 
  • #3
Sorry if I wasn't clear. Perhaps I should stake it like so.
I wish to calculate the electron density in the conduction band for intrinsic silicon at T = 300K.
The formula I found is
[tex]n = N_c exp\left [ -\frac {E_c - Ef}{kT}\right] \text { with } N_c = 2 \left( \frac {2 \pi m_e kT}{h^2}\right)^{3/2}[/tex]

But I don't know what Ec nor Ef is. How can I find out?
 
  • #4
Corneo said:
Sorry if I wasn't clear. Perhaps I should stake it like so.
I wish to calculate the electron density in the conduction band for intrinsic silicon at T = 300K.
The formula I found is
[tex]n = N_c exp\left [ -\frac {E_c - Ef}{kT}\right] \text { with } N_c = 2 \left( \frac {2 \pi m_e kT}{h^2}\right)^{3/2}[/tex]

But I don't know what Ec nor Ef is. How can I find out?

In an intrinsic semiconductor, Ef is the fermi energy and sits right in the middle of the band gap. Ec and Ev are the energy of the bottom of the conduction band and the energy of the top of the valence band, respectively.

This means that Ec - Ev = Egap. It also means that since Ef is right in the middle of the gap, Ec - Ef = Egap/2

[sorry, too lazy to do LaTex]

Zz.
 

What is the conduction energy band in intrinsic silicon?

The conduction energy band in intrinsic silicon refers to the energy level at which electrons are able to move freely through the material. Intrinsic silicon is a type of silicon that has not been doped with any impurities, making it a pure semiconductor with a well-defined conduction energy band.

How does the conduction energy band affect the conductivity of intrinsic silicon?

The conduction energy band is directly related to the conductivity of intrinsic silicon. When electrons are able to move freely in the conduction band, the material becomes more conductive. This means that the higher the conduction energy band, the more conductive the intrinsic silicon will be.

What is the difference between the conduction energy band in intrinsic silicon and extrinsic silicon?

The main difference between the conduction energy bands in intrinsic and extrinsic silicon lies in their doping levels. Intrinsic silicon has a well-defined conduction energy band due to its lack of impurities, while extrinsic silicon has a modified conduction energy band due to the presence of dopants which introduce additional energy levels.

How does temperature affect the conduction energy band in intrinsic silicon?

Temperature has a direct effect on the conduction energy band in intrinsic silicon. As temperature increases, the conduction energy band also increases, resulting in a higher conductivity. This is because higher temperatures provide more energy for electrons to move freely in the conduction band.

Why is the conduction energy band important in the study of semiconductors?

The conduction energy band is a crucial concept in the study of semiconductors because it determines the material's ability to conduct electricity. It also helps in understanding the behavior of electrons in a semiconductor and how they move through the material, which is essential in the development and design of electronic devices.

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