Bounds on the chemical potential of electrons

[Useful nucleus]

In a semiconductor, is the chemical potential of electrons limited to take values only between the valence band maximum and conduction band minimum? Are there circumstances where it can cross these bounds?

 

[DrDu]

It probably depends on how you define a semiconductor. Even a band structure is just a theoretical construct which does not correspond to a measurable quantity. I think there are substances whose resistance decreases with temperature and are thus semiconductors which are not well described in terms of a band structure.

 

[Useful nucleus]

It probably depends on how you define a semiconductor. Even a band structure is just a theoretical construct which does not correspond to a measurable quantity. I think there are substances whose resistance decreases with temperature and are thus semiconductors which are not well described in terms of a band structure.

Do you happen to recall an example or a paper discussing this issue?

 

[DrDu]

No, but I had in mind Landaus- Fermi Liquid theory and some work of W. Kohn from 1964 where he tries to work out what fundamentally makes up a metal.

 

[Useful nucleus]

No, but I had in mind Landaus- Fermi Liquid theory and some work of W. Kohn from 1964 where he tries to work out what fundamentally makes up a metal.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, DrDu!