Look how far weve come

Outline
Reading: Livingston, Chapter 12.1-12.3

Quantum Mechanical Free Electron Theory of Metals

Filling the Energy Levels with Free Electrons
Density of States
Fermi Function
Maxwell-Boltzmann Approximation

Quantum Mechanical Free Electron Theory of Metals

particle in a box
fixed lattice and free
electron gas
BUT
this time apply quantum
mechanics!

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyX5I_io7bg

Filling the Energy Levels with Free Electrons

Filling the Energy Levels with Free Electrons (cont.)

Density of States

h 2 3N
EF =

2m 8L3

2/3

Example: Using the Density of States to Find Average Properties

What is the average energy of the electrons in a 3D free electron metal at T=0 K?

Fermi Function: Probability of Occupation for T > 0

At T = 0
E<EF allowed states full, F(E) = 1
E>EF allowed states empty, F(E) = 0

F (E) =

1
1 + e ( E E F ) / k BT

At T > 0
SOME e- excited to HIGHER energy states
E<EF some allowed states empty
E>EF some allowed states full
At ANY T
F(E=EF) = 1/2
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Maxwell-Boltzmann Approximation
F (E) =

1
1 + e ( E E F ) / k BT

F ( E ) e ( E E F ) / k BT

F ( E ) 1 e ( E E F ) / k BT
Density of OCCUPIED states:

Z (E)F (E)

1 F ( E ) e ( E E F ) / k BT

Measuring EF: X-Ray Emission Spectroscopy

e-

X-ray

E (eV)

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Measuring EF: Photoelectron Spectroscopy

ephotons

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Example: Photoelectron Spectroscopy

A metal is bombarded with ultraviolet photons of 12 eV energy. The
velocities of the photoelectrons emitted from the conduction band range
from 1.19 x 106 m/s to 1.74 x 106 m/s. What is the Fermi energy of the
metal? What is the work function?

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Thermionic Emission
Thermionic Emission: Electrons emitted from a metal due to resistive heating

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Review Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

What is k-space?
What is the Fermi Energy at T=0?
What function describes the distribution of allowed energy states?
What is the procedure for finding the density of states?
How is the 3D density of states related to energy?
What is the Fermi-Dirac distribution in words?
How do you find the probability that a state is Unoccupied?
What is the probability that a state is filled above the Fermi energy
at T=0?
9. What is the probability of occupation at the Fermi level?
10. How do you find the density of occupied states?
11. Describe two ways to measure the Fermi energy of a metal.

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Important Equations
h 2 3N
EF =

2m 8L3

2/3

Eb = h EK
EK = h h o

4L3 (2m) 3 / 2 1/ 2
Z (E) =
E
3
h
F (E) =

1
1 + e ( E E F ) / k BT

F ( E ) e ( E E F ) / k BT
F ( E ) 1 e ( E E F ) / k BT
1 F ( E ) e ( E E F ) / k BT

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