Energy Band Diagram :The range of energies that an electron may possess in an

atom is known as the energy band.

There Important energy bands are,
Valence Band
Conduction Band
Forbidden Band
Valence Band :The Range of Energy possessed by valence
electrons is known as valence Bands.
Conduction Band :The valence electrons are less tightly bound with
the nucleus. So that even an appication of small elctric field some
of the valence electrons detached from the nucleus and it becomes
free electrons. These fee elctrons are responsible for the
conduction of current in good conductors. The electrons are also
called conduction electrons.
The Range of energy possed by these elctrons is known as
conduction band.
Forbidden Band (or) Energy Gap :The energy band in between the condition band and the
valence band is called forbidden Band.
Classification of Materials (or) Solids According to Energy
Bands :-

Solids are classified in to there types

1. Insulators
2. Conudctors
3. Semi conductors

Insulators : The materials in which the condition band and valence

bands are separeated by a wide energy gap ( 15 eV) as shown in
figure.
A wide energy gap means that a large amount of energy is
required, to free the electrons, by moving them from the valence
band into the condition band ;
Since at room temperature, the valence electrons of an
insulator do not have enough energy to jump in to the condition,
therefore insulator do not have an ability to conduct current. Thus
insulators have very high resistively (or extremely low
conductivity) at room temperatures.
However if the temperature is raised, some of the valence
electrons may acquire energy and jump in to the conduction band.
It causes the resistively of insulators to decrease.
Therefore an insulator have negative temperature coefficient of resistance.

Conductors :The materilas in which conduction and valence bands overlap

as shown in figure are called conductors.
The overlapping indicates a large number of electrons
available for conduction.
Hence the application of a small amount of voltage results
a large amount of current.
Semiconductors : The materials, in which the conduction and valence bands
are separeated by a small energy gap (1eV) as shown in figure are
called semiconductors.
Silicon and germanium are the commonly used
semiconductors.
A small energy gap means that a small amount of energy
is required to free the elctrons by moving them from the valence
band in to the conduction band.
The semiconductors behave4 like insulators at 0K,
because no electrons are available in the conduction band.
If the temperature is further increased, more valence
elctrons will acquire energy to jump into the conduction band.

 Thus like insulators, semiconductors also have negative

temperature co-efficient of resistance.
It means that conductivity of semiconductors increases
with the increases tempertature.