Homework-1

1. What is thermal fluctuation? What is the relationship between thermal fluctuation and
Johnson noise? Please explain in detail.
2. What is Arrhenius type behavior? How does the temperature affect the Arrhenius type
behavior? Please explain in detail.
3. Please prove that the atomic packing factor of the body-centered cubic (BCC) crystal is
68%.
4. What are differences between point defects and line defects? (Please list 3 differences at
least)
5. Please propose a method to suppress the defects of the material besides surface
passivation.
Q1: What is thermal fluctuation? What is the relationship between thermal
fluctuation and Johnson noise? Please explain in detail.

A1: Thermal fluctuation is a phenomenon that the temperature of a system

deviates from the average temperature.
When thermal fluctuation occurs, the electrons can move randomly. Therefore, it
is possible to affect the distribution of the electrons (the distribution of the
electron in the system is not uniform) and further leads to voltage fluctuation.
Such voltage fluctuation is known as Johnson noise.
Q2. What is Arrhenius type behavior? How does the temperature affect the
Arrhenius type behavior? Please explain in detail.

A2. The physical and chemical reactions depend on temperature and their
reaction rate is proportional to exp(-EA/kT), which is called Arrhenius type
behavior.

The reaction rate is proportional to exp(-EA/kT). For specific physical or chemical

reaction, the activation energy refers to as a constant. Therefore, the higher
temperature leads to faster reaction rate.
Q3. Please prove that the atomic packing factor of the body-centered cubic (BCC)
crystal is 68%.

Volume of cubic=a3
Volume of atom=
Q4. What are differences between point defects and line defects? (Please list 3
differences at least)

A4. (1) Different shapes. Point defects are dot-like defects (0-D). Line defects
are line-like defects (1-D)
(2) Formation energy (line defects require more energy than point defects)
(3) Point defects exist as a requirement of thermal equilibrium. Line
defects not equilibrium defects.
Q5. Please propose a method to suppress the defects of the material besides
surface passivation.

A5.
(i) Post annealing

(ii) Sulfur reaction

(iii) Hydrogenation