The Group Velocity in a One-Dimensional Material

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Homework Statement


A one-dimensional material has an applied time varying e-field as shown below:

[tex] \epsilon(t)=\left\{\begin{array}{cc}A_1,&0\le t \le 2<br /> \\0,& 2\le t \le 4<br /> \\-A_1,& 4\le t \le 6<br /> \end{array}\right[/tex]

The band structure of the material is [itex]E=\hbar\nu\|k\|[/itex], where [itex]\nu[/itex] is a constant with units of velocity. What is the electron gorup velocity as a function of time from 0 to 6?

Homework Equations


[tex] v=\frac{d\omega}{dk}=\frac{dE}{dp}[/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution


[tex] v_g=\frac{1}{\hbar}\frac{dE}{dk}[/tex]

I'm not sure on how to include the e-field into this equation. Any suggestions?
 
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soekdi said:

Homework Statement


A one-dimensional material has an applied time varying e-field as shown below:

[tex] \epsilon(t)=\left\{\begin{array}{cc}A_1,&0\le t \le 2<br /> \\0,& 2\le t \le 4<br /> \\-A_1,& 4\le t \le 6<br /> \end{array}\right[/tex]

The band structure of the material is [itex]E=\hbar\nu\|k\|[/itex], where [itex]\nu[/itex] is a constant with units of velocity. What is the electron gorup velocity as a function of time from 0 to 6?

Homework Equations


[tex] v=\frac{d\omega}{dk}=\frac{dE}{dp}[/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution


[tex] v_g=\frac{1}{\hbar}\frac{dE}{dk}[/tex]

I'm not sure on how to include the e-field into this equation. Any suggestions?

Probably you just want to account for the fact that k depends on time via
[tex] \frac{d\bold{k}}{dt}=-e\bold{E}(t)\;,[/tex]
where
[tex] \bold{E}(t)[/tex]
is the electric field and [itex]-e[/itex] is the charge of the electron.
 
olgranpappy said:
Probably you just want to account for the fact that k depends on time via
[tex] \frac{d\bold{k}}{dt}=-e\bold{E}(t)\;,[/tex]
where
[tex] \bold{E}(t)[/tex]
is the electric field and [itex]-e[/itex] is the charge of the electron.

Now I'm having trouble with the math part:
[tex] dE=\hbar \nu dk[/tex]

[tex] dk=-e\epsilon(t)dt[/tex]

[tex] v_g=\frac{1}{\hbar}\frac{dE}{dk}=\frac{\nu dk}{-e\epsilon(t)dt}[/tex]

where [itex]\epsilon[/itex] is the e-field. This doesn't really look right?
 
soekdi said:
Now I'm having trouble with the math part:
[tex] dE=\hbar \nu dk[/tex]

[tex] dk=-e\epsilon(t)dt[/tex]

[tex] v_g=\frac{1}{\hbar}\frac{dE}{dk}=\frac{\nu dk}{-e\epsilon(t)dt}[/tex]

where [itex]\epsilon[/itex] is the e-field. This doesn't really look right?

mmm... if you just forget about the electric field for a second and just look at
[tex] E=\hbar v |k|\;,[/tex]
what is the group velocity?