- #1
Jimmy87
- 686
- 17
Hi,
I have started looking at the fermi level and how it relates to the behaviour of conductors. It is my understanding from what I have read that the fermi level is the top of the fermi sea of filled energy states when the material is at T = 0K.
1) Is the fermi level inside the conduction band for metals? Also, when the temperature is lower it seems to say that lower energy states are filled. Would this mean there are less conduction electrons? I thought conductivity increased with a fall in temperature?
2) Some metals have greater free electron densities. Is this linked to their differences in fermi energy levels, i.e. a bigger fermi energy level would mean it would be higher in the conduction band and hence more free electrons available or is this not a good way to look at it?
Thanks.
I have started looking at the fermi level and how it relates to the behaviour of conductors. It is my understanding from what I have read that the fermi level is the top of the fermi sea of filled energy states when the material is at T = 0K.
1) Is the fermi level inside the conduction band for metals? Also, when the temperature is lower it seems to say that lower energy states are filled. Would this mean there are less conduction electrons? I thought conductivity increased with a fall in temperature?
2) Some metals have greater free electron densities. Is this linked to their differences in fermi energy levels, i.e. a bigger fermi energy level would mean it would be higher in the conduction band and hence more free electrons available or is this not a good way to look at it?
Thanks.