Name: energy bands in metals and insulators
Uploaded: 2024-07-08T13:20:08.000Z
Duration: 1 min 22 s
Channel: JoVE

K12 Standards

new-jersey-student-learning-standards-for-science

New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Science

High School

Physical Science

motion-and-stability-forces-and-interactions

Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

HS-PS2-6

Semiconductors

Materials are broadly categorized into three types as metals, insulators, and semiconductors.
Metals have no energy band gap due to the overlap of the valence and conduction bands. This allows free electron movement, making metals excellent conductors of electricity.
In contrast, insulators have a large energy band gap, typically greater than 3 eV. At ambient temperature, no conduction occurs because the thermal energy or applied electric field is insufficient to promote a significant number of electrons from the valence band to the conduction band, making them poor conductors.
Conventional semiconductors like silicon exhibit a narrow energy band gap around 1.1 eV. At ambient temperature, a significant number of electrons can be thermally excited from the valence band to the conduction band, resulting in a small current.
This transition generates carriers. Free electrons act as carriers in the conduction band, while the voids created by the absence of electrons, known as holes, act as carriers in the valence band.
Semiconductors exhibit moderate conductivity, influenced by factors such as temperature, light illumination, and doping impurities.

semiconductors

There is variation in the electrical conductivity of materials - metals, semiconductors, and insulators that are showcased with the help of the energy band diagrams.
Metals such as copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), or lead (Pb) have low resistivity and feature conduction bands that are either not fully occupied or overlap with the valence band, making a bandgap non-existent. This allows electrons in the highest energy levels of the valence band to easily transition to the conduction band upon gaining minimal kinetic energy from an applied electric field. As a result, with many available states close to filled ones, metals facilitate the easy flow of electrical current.
Semiconductors have a filled valence band and an empty conduction band separated by a small band gap, on the order of 1 eV, allowing for some valence electrons to be thermally excited to the conduction band at room temperature. This results in a moderate number of charge carriers, making semiconductors more conductive than insulators but less than metals. The band gap energy varies for semiconductors, like 1.12 eV for silicon (Si) and 1.42 eV for gallium arsenide (GaAs).
In insulators like SiO2, the valence band is filled with electrons, and the conduction band is empty. Insulators have a large band gap, making it difficult for valence electrons to be excited by the conduction band at room temperature. This is because the valence electrons in insulators are involved in strong covalent bonds and require significant energy to break. A large energy gap separates the filled valence and empty conduction bands, and thermal energy at room temperature is insufficient to excite electrons across this gap. As a result, very few electrons are available for conduction, and the material cannot conduct electrical current effectively.

Materials are broadly categorized into three types as metals, insulators, and semiconductors.
Metals have no energy band gap due to the overlap of the ...

Education

JoVE Core

Electrical Engineering

Unit 1

Basics of Semiconductors

KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

energy bands in metals and insulators

Materials conduct electricity in different ways because their energy bands are arranged differently. Metals, semiconductors, and insulators can be compared with energy band diagrams. These diagrams show how easily electrons can move when an electric field is applied.

Metals such as copper, zinc, and lead have low resistivity. Their conduction band is not fully occupied, or it overlaps with the valence band, so a band gap is essentially absent. Electrons in the highest valence energy levels can move into nearby states with very little added kinetic energy. That is why metals let electric current flow easily.

Semiconductors sit between metals and insulators. They have a filled valence band and an empty conduction band, separated by a small band gap of about 1 eV. At room temperature, some valence electrons can gain enough thermal energy to jump into the conduction band. This creates a moderate number of charge carriers, so semiconductors conduct better than insulators but not as well as metals. Silicon has a band gap of 1.12 eV, and gallium arsenide has a band gap of 1.42 eV.

Insulators such as SiO2 have a filled valence band and an empty conduction band, but the gap between them is large. Valence electrons are tied up in strong covalent bonds and need much more energy to move into the conduction band. Room-temperature thermal energy is not enough to bridge this gap. As a result, very few electrons can carry charge, and the material does not conduct electricity effectively.

Energy Bands in Metals and Insulators

energy bands in solids

Valence and Conduction Bands in Silicon

Valence and conduction bands explain how electrons behave in solids. In isolated atoms, electrons occupy discrete energy levels that the Bohr model describes well. The hydrogen atom, for example, has specific electron energies labeled by the quantum number n, and higher n values give levels that are less negative and closer together. When atoms move close together in a solid, those discrete levels start to split. This happens because electron orbitals from neighboring atoms overlap. The Pauli...

Materials conduct electricity in different ways because their energy bands are arranged differently. Metals, semiconductors, and insulators can be compared with energy band diagrams. These diagrams show how easily electrons can move when an electric field is applied. Metals such as copper, zinc, and lead have low resistivity. Their conduction band is not fully occupied, or it overlaps with the valence band, so a band gap is essentially absent. Electrons in the highest valence energy levels can...

types of semiconductors

Intrinsic and Doped Semiconductors

Intrinsic semiconductors are very pure materials with no impurities. At absolute zero, they act as perfect insulators because the valence electrons are bound and the conduction band is empty. That means electrical conduction cannot occur under those conditions. The Fermi level helps describe the chance that an energy level is occupied by an electron at thermal equilibrium. In an intrinsic semiconductor, the Fermi level sits near the middle of the band gap at absolute zero. As temperature...

carrier generation and recombination

Semiconductor Charge Carriers: Creation and Loss

Carrier generation and recombination control how free charge carriers change inside a semiconductor. Carrier generation creates electron-hole pairs, or EHPs, when electrons move from the valence band into the conduction band and leave holes behind. Carrier recombination does the opposite and lowers the number of free carriers. In direct-bandgap semiconductors such as gallium arsenide, generation happens efficiently because energy absorption can move a valence electron straight to the...

carrier transport

Drift and Diffusion in Semiconductors

Drift and diffusion are the two main ways electric current forms in semiconductors. These charge-carrier motions help determine how semiconductor devices work and how well they perform. The carriers involved are electrons and holes. Drift current begins when an external electric field acts on charge carriers. Electrons and holes move between collisions with lattice atoms, and this motion creates drift velocity. For electrons, drift velocity depends on electron mobility and the electric field...

p-n junction

P-N Junction Depletion Region

A p-n junction forms when p-type and n-type semiconductor materials are joined together. At the boundary, holes from the p-side and electrons from the n-side diffuse into the opposite side because of the concentration gradient. This movement leaves a region with no free charge carriers near the junction, called the depletion region. The charge density in the depletion region can be described on the n-side and p-side using the donor and acceptor doping concentrations, ND and NA. The fixed...

biasing of p-n junction

P-N Junction Diode Under Bias

P-N junction diodes change behavior under equilibrium, forward bias, and reverse bias. In equilibrium, no external voltage is applied across the junction. Carriers diffuse at the boundary and leave behind charged dopants. Acceptors remain on the p-side, and donors remain on the n-side. These fixed charges form a depletion region and an electric field that blocks further diffusion. The band diagram at equilibrium shows the Fermi levels on both sides aligned. That alignment means the junction is...

metal-semiconductor junctions

Schottky and Ohmic Metal Contacts

Metal contacts with semiconductors can form either Schottky or Ohmic junctions. The result depends on the work function of the metal, the work function of the semiconductor, and how electrons move when the two materials touch. At equilibrium, the Fermi levels align, so charge shifts until both sides match in energy. Schottky barriers form when a metal with work function Φm contacts a semiconductor with a different work function Φs. If Φm is greater than Φs, the semiconductor Fermi level starts...

biasing of metal-semiconductor junctions

How Bias Changes Metal-Semiconductor Current

Biasing metal-semiconductor junctions means applying a voltage across the junction. The metal connects to the voltage source, and the semiconductor is grounded. This setup helps control the direction and size of current in devices such as diodes, transistors, and photovoltaic cells. In a Schottky junction with an n-type semiconductor, a positive voltage on the metal lowers its Fermi level. A Fermi level is the energy level that helps describe how electrons are distributed. Lowering this level...

fermi level

Fermi Level in Semiconductors

The Fermi level is a key energy level in semiconductors. It sits between the lower-energy valence band and the higher-energy conduction band. The Fermi-Dirac function, which follows an S-shaped curve, shows the chance that an energy state is filled by an electron at a given temperature. At absolute zero, electrons occupy every energy state up to the Fermi level. States above it stay empty. As temperature rises, electrons gain energy and can move into vacant states above the Fermi level. In an...

fermi level dynamics

Vacuum Level and Schottky Barriers

Vacuum level and Schottky barriers help explain how electrons move between materials. The vacuum level is the energy needed for an electron to escape a material surface. In a semiconductor, it usually sits above the conduction band and serves as a reference for comparing electron energy. Electron affinity is the energy gap between the conduction band minimum and the vacuum level. It shows how easily a semiconductor can accept extra electrons. The work function is the least energy needed to...

key terms and concepts

Compare metals, semiconductors, and insulators using energy band diagrams. Learn how band gaps, charge carriers, and resistivity affect electrical conductivity.

Energy Bands in Metals and Insulators | JoVE K12

JoVE Core Electrical Engineering offers easy-to-understand animated videos that cover fundamental concepts of electric circuits along with circuit analysis techniques. It incorporates first-order and second-order circuits using operational amplifiers and circuit transformation concepts. The inclusion of practical design examples and real-world applications through scientist-in-action videos adds significant educational value, making complex concepts accessible.

electrical engineering

Newton's Second Law

Newton&#39;s second law is closely related to his first law of motion. It mathematically gives the cause-and-effect relationship between force and changes ...

Force and Acceleration

Source: Nicholas Timmons,&#160;Asantha Cooray, PhD, Department of Physics &#38; Astronomy, School of Physical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, ...

Second Law: Motion under Same Force

Newton&#39;s laws can be applied to bodies at rest and bodies in motion. Newton&#39;s first law is applied to bodies in equilibrium, whereas the second ...

Analyze data to support the claim that Newton's second law of motion describes the mathematical relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and its acceleration. 

Clarification statement: Examples of data could include tables or graphs of position or velocity as a function of time for objects subject to a net unbalanced force, such as a falling object, an object sliding down a ramp, or a moving object being pulled by a constant force. 

Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to one-dimensional motion and to macroscopic objects moving at non-relativistic speeds.

HS-PS2-1

Conservation of Momentum: Introduction

The total momentum of a system consisting of N interacting objects is constant in time or is conserved. A system must meet two requirements for its ...

Conservation of Momentum

Conservation of Momentum: Problem Solving

Solving problems using the conservation of momentum requires four basic steps:

	Identify a closed system, where the total mass is constant, and no net ...

Conservation of Angular Momentum

A system&#39;s total angular momentum remains constant if the net external torque acting on the system is zero. Considering a system that consists of n ...

conservation-of-angular-momentum-application

Conservation of Angular Momentum: Application

A system&#39;s total angular momentum remains constant if the net external torque acting on the system is zero. Examples of such systems include a freely ...

Use mathematical representations to support the claim that the total momentum of a system of objects is conserved when there is no net force on the system. 

Clarification statement: Emphasis is on the quantitative conservation of momentum in interactions and the qualitative meaning of this principle. 

Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to systems of two macroscopic bodies moving in one dimension.

HS-PS2-2

Impulse

According to Newton&#8217;s second law of motion, the rate of change of the momentum of an object is the net external force acting on it. The total change ...

Impulse-Momentum Theorem

The total change in the motion of an object is proportional to the total force vector acting on it and the time over which it acts. This product is called ...

Types Of Collisions - I

When two objects come in direct contact with each other, it is called a collision. During a collision, two or more objects exert forces on each other in a ...

Types of Collisions - II

When two or more objects collide with each other, they can stick together to form one single composite object (after collision). The total mass of the ...

Elastic Collisions: Introduction

An elastic collision is one that conserves both internal kinetic energy and momentum. Internal kinetic energy is the sum of the kinetic energies of the ...

Elastic Collisions: Case Study

Elastic collision of a system demands conservation of both momentum and kinetic energy. To solve problems involving one-dimensional elastic collisions ...

collisions-in-multiple-dimensions-introduction

Collisions in Multiple Dimensions: Introduction

It is far more common for collisions to occur in two dimensions; that is, the initial velocity vectors are neither parallel nor antiparallel to each ...

collisions-in-multiple-dimensions-problem-solving

Collisions in Multiple Dimensions: Problem Solving

In multiple dimensions, the conservation of momentum applies in each direction independently. Hence, to solve collisions in multiple dimensions, we should ...

Apply scientific and engineering ideas to design, evaluate, and refine a device that minimizes the force on a macroscopic object during a collision. 

Clarification statement: Examples of evaluation and refinement could include determining the success of the device at protecting an object from damage and modifying the design to improve it. Examples of a device could include a football helmet or a parachute. 

Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to qualitative evaluations and/or algebraic manipulations.

HS-PS2-3

Gravitation

In the years before Newton, a general belief prevailed that different laws governed objects in the sky than objects on Earth. When Kepler wrote down the ...

/files/media/science-education/science-education-thumbs/14716.jpg

Newton's Law of Gravitation

Our everyday observation tells us that all objects close to the Earth naturally tend to fall to the ground. Early philosophers assumed that this downward ...

gravitation-between-spherically-symmetric-masses

Gravitation Between Spherically Symmetric Masses

The gravitational potential energy between two spherically symmetric bodies can be calculated from the masses and the distance between the bodies, ...

/files/media/science-education/science-education-thumbs/14717.jpg

Coulomb's Law

Experiments with electric charges have shown that if two objects each have an electric charge, they exert an electric force on each other. The magnitude ...

coulomb-s-law-and-the-principle-of-superposition

Coulomb's Law and The Principle of Superposition

Coulomb&#39;s Law describes the force experienced by two point charges under each other&#39;s presence. But what if there are more than two charges? For ...

comparison-between-electrical-and-gravitational-forces

Comparison Between Electrical And Gravitational Forces

There are four fundamental forces in nature: the gravitational force, the electromagnetic force, the strong nuclear force, and the weak nuclear force. To ...

Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation

Source: Ketron Mitchell-Wynne, PhD,&#160;Asantha Cooray, PhD, Department of Physics &#38; Astronomy, School of Physical Sciences, University of ...

Use mathematical representations of Newton's Law of Gravitation and Coulomb's Law to describe and predict the gravitational and electrostatic forces between objects. 

Clarification statement: Emphasis is on both quantitative and conceptual descriptions of gravitational and electric fields. 

Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to systems with two objects.

HS-PS2-4

Magnetic Fields

A moving charge or a current creates a magnetic field in the surrounding space, in addition to its electric field. The magnetic field exerts a force on ...

Electromagnetic Fields

Electric fields generated by static charges, often referred to as electrostatic fields, are characteristically different from electric fields created by ...

Maxwell's Equation Of Electromagnetism

James Clerk Maxwell (1831&#x2013;1879) was one of the major contributors to physics in the nineteenth century. Although he died young, he made major ...

Symmetry in Maxwell's Equations

Once the fields have been calculated using Maxwell&#x27;s four equations, the Lorentz force equation gives the force that the fields exert on a charged ...

Induction

An emf is induced when the magnetic field in a coil is changed by pushing a bar magnet into or out of the coil. emfs of opposite signs are produced by ...

Faraday's Law

Faraday&#39;s law state that the induced emf is the negative change in the magnetic flux per unit of time. Any change in the magnetic field or change in ...

Lenz's Law

The direction in which the induced emf drives the current around a wire loop can be found through the negative sign. However, it is usually easier to ...

Charge and Current

Charge, an inherent property of matter, is responsible for a wide range of electric phenomena. The SI unit of charge is the coulomb.
All matter comprises ...

Ohm's Law

Resistors, often made from metallic alloys or carbon compounds, model a material&#x27;s current-resisting behavior.
Ohm&#x27;s law states that the voltage ...

Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that an electric current can produce a magnetic field and that a changing magnetic field can produce an electric current. 

Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to designing and conducting investigations with provided materials and tools.

HS-PS2-5

Bonding in Metals

Metallic bonds are formed between two metal atoms. A simplified model to describe metallic bonding has been developed by Paul Dr&#xFC;de called the ...

Band Theory

When two or more atoms come together to form a molecule, their atomic orbitals combine and molecular orbitals of distinct energies result. In a solid, ...

Conductors and Insulators

Some materials may easily let electrical charges pass through them, while others obstruct their flow. The former are called conductors and the latter ...

Communicate scientific and technical information about why the molecular-level structure is important in the functioning of designed materials. 

Clarification statement: Emphasis is on the attractive and repulsive forces that determine the functioning of the material. Examples could include why electrically conductive materials are often made of metal, flexible but durable materials are made up of long chained molecules, and pharmaceuticals are designed to interact with specific receptors. 

Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to provided molecular structures of specific designed materials.

Energy Bands in Metals and Insulators

Description

Transcript

Tags

More videos by Standards