High School How does lattice vibration affect electron mobility in semiconductor?

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SUMMARY

This discussion focuses on the impact of lattice vibrations (phonons) on electron mobility in semiconductors, specifically silicon and GaAs. As temperature increases, phonon scattering rises, leading to reduced electron mobility. The Debye-Waller factor is highlighted as a method for modeling and measuring this effect in crystalline materials, which can behave similarly to amorphous materials at elevated temperatures. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding these dynamics for accurate semiconductor performance analysis.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of lattice vibrations and phonons in solid-state physics
  • Familiarity with semiconductor materials, particularly silicon and GaAs
  • Knowledge of electron mobility concepts in semiconductor physics
  • Experience with empirical modeling techniques in material science
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  • Research the Debye-Waller factor and its applications in semiconductor physics
  • Explore experimental methods for measuring phonon scattering in silicon and GaAs
  • Investigate the differences in electron mobility between crystalline and amorphous materials
  • Study temperature-dependent behavior of semiconductors in relation to lattice dynamics
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Researchers, physicists, and engineers focused on semiconductor technology, particularly those studying the effects of temperature on electron mobility and material properties.

Aria James
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Hi everyone,
I'm currently studying how temperature impacts electron mobility in semiconductors, particularly in relation to lattice vibrations (phonons). I understand that as temperature increases, phonon scattering increases, which reduces mobility but I’m trying to get a more detailed understanding of how this is modeled or measured in real-world materials like silicon or GaAs.
Has anyone worked on this topic or can point me to a reliable experimental method or dataset? Also, does this effect vary significantly between crystalline and amorphous materials?
Would appreciate any thoughts, resources, or experiences!
References:
Thanks in advance!
 
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One way to model and measure the impact of thermal lattice vibrations for crystalline materials is the
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debye–Waller_factor (edit: there are better references than wikipedia for the measurements and empirical models, but I am too lazy at the moment)
It damps higher (spatial) frequency correlations (edit: maybe I should describe this differently, but I am too lazy at the moment), and thereby effectively reduces the range of the spatial crystal order. So the crystalline material behaves increasingly similar to a polycrystalline or amorphous material. But note that room temperature is often a quite low temperature from the perspective of insulating or semiconducting materials, so take this only as an indication of the trend.
 
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