Solid State Electronics 2021 Fall by Prof.

Jiun-Yun Li

Problem set 1 due at 11/12/2021

Total points: 790

1. Blackbody radiation (70%)

We learn in the class that Max Planck has established the foundations of quantum physics.
Let’s check out the details below:
From thermal physics, the average energy of radiation is kT, but this concept by using
thermal energy for each radiation mode (or Rayleigh-Jeans formula) does not work out to
explain the experimental results blackbody radiations in three-dimensional world (Fig. 1 for
a kind reminder). Recently, a new kind of materials called graphene, which is a two-
dimensional carbon network creates new scopes for scientists and device engineers.
Image now our entire world becomes two-dimensional, please answer the following
questions:

Fig. 1 Fig. 2

(a) (40%) According to classical theory of cavity radiation in a cube (Fig. 2), we can
write down the associated standing wave with boundary condition of electric field equal
to zero at the boundary. Write down the boundary conditions of electric fields for a
2D square with a length of L. Then calculate the allowed number of radiations per
frequency in terms of L, 𝜈, c (light speed),
(b) (30%) What is the energy density (Joule/area-frequency) if you follow Rayleigh-
Jeans’ idea of average energy kBT for each radiation mode?

2. Photoelectric effects (70%)

Classically, we think wave is wave and particle is particle. Einstein basically follows
Planck’s results and showed that a wave is NOT just a wave; instead, he proposed that
wave is actually a particle (when interaction with matters occurs). Considering the

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 Solid State Electronics 2021 Fall by Prof. Jiun-Yun Li

experiment done by Hertz (Fig. 3), please answer the following questions:

Fig. 3

(a) (10%) Can you explain why based on the facts that there exists a time lag
between light impinging on the target and current collection, scientists thought light
cannot be explained by wave, but a particle?
(b) (20%) At a fixed frequency, why all light with different intensities can be
“stopped” by a retarding potential V0? Please explain by a particle point of view?
(Note that for light with different intensities, it means the power is larger).
(c) (20%) What is work function? If one electron is at the material surface and
another electron is deep in the material, do they require the same energies to leave
the material surface? Please states the work function very clearly.
(d) (20%) Show that in the following figure (Fig. 4), the slope is linear.

Fig. 4
Photoelectric effects were a significant signature for wave being particles. Someone
immediately thought the inverse process could be used to show the same concept (Fig. 5)

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 Solid State Electronics 2021 Fall by Prof. Jiun-Yun Li

Fig. 5

(e) (20%) Please explain why for different accelerating electric potentials, the
shortest wavelength of X-ray is different and show that this wavelength is inversely
proportional to the potential.

3. Crystallography (70%)

(111)

(220)

(311)
(400)

2q
Fig. 6 Fig. 7

In a group-IV lab, people work on C (a = 3.57 Å), Si (a = 5.43 Å), and Ge (a = 5.66 Å).
Now we have an x-ray diffraction (XRD) spectrum (Fig. 1), but we are not sure what the
material is. Assume the material is crystalline (i.e. atoms are orderly placed in the
space). Let’s work it out.
(a) (30%) In Fig. 6, the fourth peak (2q ~70o) correspond to a crystal plane (400), if
the wavelength of incident x-ray is 1.5406 Å, please calculate the lattice constant a.
(b) (40%) In Fig. 7, the third peak (2q ~48o) corresponds to a crystal plane (22).
Repeat (b) for (220) plane. What is the material? C, Si, or Ge?

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 Solid State Electronics 2021 Fall by Prof. Jiun-Yun Li

4. Quantum mechanics I (100%)

Now an electron with mass m and E > V0 is incident from the left to the right.
Please do the followings:
(a) (40%) Write the wavefunctions in x > 0 and x < 0 in terms of A, E, V0, and
other required physical constants.
(b) (30%) Express reflection and transmission coefficients in terms of E/V0.
(c) (30%) Plot R and T vs. E/V0.

Energy
Aexp(ikx)
E
e-
V0

x
0
Fig. 8

5. Quantum mechanics II (200 %)

A particle of mass m is in the potential of
∞
−40ℏ 𝑥<0
𝑉(𝑥) = 0≤𝑥≤𝑎
𝑚𝑎 𝑥>𝑎
0
(a) (100 %) How many bound states are there and what are their values?
(b) (100 %) What’s the probability of the particle found outside the well (i.e. x > a)
for each bound state?

6. Quantum mechanics III (280 %)

(a) (100 %) First, re-consider a square barrier potential with energy E > V0 (Fig. 9).
The wave functions can be immediately written as
𝐴𝑒 + 𝐵𝑒 𝑥<0
𝜓(𝑥) = 𝐶𝑒 + 𝐷𝑒 0<𝑥<𝑎
𝐹𝑒 + 𝐺𝑒 𝑥>𝑎
We can write a matrix to relate the incident wave coefficients A (from left toward
right) and G (from right toward left) to two coefficients of reflected wave of B and F
as follows:
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 Solid State Electronics 2021 Fall by Prof. Jiun-Yun Li

𝐵 𝑆 𝑆 𝐴
=
𝐹 𝑆 𝑆 𝐺
What are S11, S12, S21, and S22?
E
A exp(ik1x) C exp(ik2x) F exp(ik1x)
Energy
B exp(-ik1x) D exp(-ik2x) G exp(-ik1x)
V0 e-
8V0
4V0
x
x 0 a
0 a

Fig. 9 Fig. 10

(b) (60%) If now G = 0, what are R and T? Please plot the reflection (R) and
transmission (T) coefficients vs. normalized energy (E/V0).
(c) (60 %) In Fig. 10, the potential structure becomes asymmetric. Please find S
matrix elements. Then assume G = 0, calculate R and T. What are the energies for
T = 0?
(d) (60 %) Assume a = 10 nm, V0 = 0.1 eV, plot the reflection and transmission
coefficients vs. energy (E) for the potential in Fig. 10.