What Are the Key Uses and Historical Significance of E-k Diagrams?

[otaKu]

So I'm fairly new to them and I was wondering about the reasons it is used so extensively. It'd be great to have a discussion on its significance in various applications. When exactly did people start using these diagrams? How is it used in various parts of physics. What all information can it convey? What according to you are some lesser known facts about the E-k diagrams? Are there any great references to gain insight about them apart from the standard books like Charles Kittle, Ashcroft Mermin etc?! Looking forward to your inputs.

 

[hokhani]

So I'm fairly new to them and I was wondering about the reasons it is used so extensively. It'd be great to have a discussion on its significance in various applications. When exactly did people start using these diagrams? How is it used in various parts of physics. What all information can it convey? What according to you are some lesser known facts about the E-k diagrams? Are there any great references to gain insight about them apart from the standard books like Charles Kittle, Ashcroft Mermin etc?! Looking forward to your inputs.

Your question is quite general and you had better put only one of them in the post. The E-K diagram includes vital information about the electronic behavior of solids. As a very simple example you can distinguish what the solid is (conductor, insulator, semiconductor) regarding the energy gap. Also this diagram can be used for transport calculations, optical transitions and many other goals.

 

[nmbr28albert]

One of the most important reasons for E-k diagrams (or more commonly known as bandstructures) is because of interactions of a material with photons, phonons, etc. In all interactions, energy and momentum must be conserved. By using E-k diagrams, one can keep track of both energy and momentum at the same time and determine which processes are allowed and which are not.

 

[otaKu]

One of the most important reasons for E-k diagrams (or more commonly known as bandstructures) is because of interactions of a material with photons, phonons, etc. In all interactions, energy and momentum must be conserved. By using E-k diagrams, one can keep track of both energy and momentum at the same time and determine which processes are allowed and which are not.

This was the sort of answer I was looking for. I guess I generalised the question a lot. Thank you for your inputs.