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Diode Junctions

- The document describes the motion of an electron confined in a one-dimensional potential well (particle in a box) between two infinite potential walls located at x=0 and x=a. - The particle can only exist in the region between the walls, where the potential energy is zero. It cannot exist outside the walls, where the potential energy is infinite. - By solving the Schrodinger equation with the boundary conditions that the wavefunction must be zero at the walls, the allowed energy levels and wavefunctions of the particle are found to be quantized. The energy eigenvalues are given by En = (n^2*h^2)/(8ma^2), where n is a positive integer

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Asad Malik
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80 views19 pages

Diode Junctions

- The document describes the motion of an electron confined in a one-dimensional potential well (particle in a box) between two infinite potential walls located at x=0 and x=a. - The particle can only exist in the region between the walls, where the potential energy is zero. It cannot exist outside the walls, where the potential energy is infinite. - By solving the Schrodinger equation with the boundary conditions that the wavefunction must be zero at the walls, the allowed energy levels and wavefunctions of the particle are found to be quantized. The energy eigenvalues are given by En = (n^2*h^2)/(8ma^2), where n is a positive integer

Uploaded by

Asad Malik
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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MOTION OF AN ELECTRON IN ONE DIMENSIONAL

POTENTIAL WELL (PARTICLE IN A BOX)


Consider an electron of mass m, moving along positive x-axis between two walls of
infinite height, one located at x=0 and another at x=a. Let potential energy of the
electron is assumed to be zero in the region in-between the two walls and infinity in
the region beyond the walls.

V  0 for 0  x  a
V= V=0 V=
V  for x  0 & x  a

X=0 X=a

X-axis 1
Region beyond the walls:
The Schrodinger’s wave equation representing the motion of the particle in the region beyond the two
walls is given by

d 2 8  2 m
2
  E     0 V= V=0 V=
dx h2
X=0 X=a
The only possible solution for the above equation is ψ=0. X-axis
Since ψ=0 , the probability of finding the particle in the region x<0 and x>a is Zero . i.e.,
particle cannot be found in region beyond the walls.

Region between the two walls:


The Schrodinger’s wave equation representing the motion of the particle in the region
between the two walls is given by

d 2 8  2 m
  E  0   0 V  0 V= V=0 V=
dx 2 h2
X=0 X=a
X-axis 2
d 2 8 2 mE
2
 2
  0
dx h
d 2
2
  2
 0 1 V= V=0 V=
dx
8  2 mE
where   2
1a
h2 X=0 X=a

X-axis
Solution of the equation 1 is of the form

  A sin x  B cos x 2
Where A and B are unknown constants to be determined. Since particle cannot be
found inside the walls

at x  0 ,   0 I
and at x  a ,   0 II
3
The equations are called boundary conditions. Using the I boundary condition in equation 2,
we get

0  A sin 0  B cos 0
B  0

Therefore equation 2 becomes


  A sin x 3

Using condition II in equation 3 we get


0  A sin a
 A  0 sina  0
 a  n
where n  0,1,2,......
n
 
a 4
Therefore correct solution of the equation 1 can be written as

n
 n  A sin x 4
a

The above equation represents Eigenfunctions. Where n=1,2,3,..


(n=0 is not acceptable because, for n=o the wavefunction ψ becomes zero for all values of
x. Then particle cannot be found anywhere)

Substituting for  in equation 1a we get

 
2
 
2
n 8 mE
  
 
2
a h

Therefore energy Eigenvalues are represented by the equation

n2h2
En  5
8ma 2
5
• Boundary conditions of the potential dictate that the wave function must be
zero at x = 0 and x = L.

• The wave function is now

• We normalize the wave function

• The normalized wave function becomes


Particle in the Infinite Potential Well

2  x 
n  sin  n
a  a 
n defines states, we take n  0
th
Energy for the n state is
 2 2
En  2
n 2

2ma
How do Electrons and Holes Populate the Bands?

 Density of States Concept

The number of conduction band


gc ( E ) dE states/cm3 lying in the energy range
between E and E + dE
(if E  Ec).

The number of valence band


gv ( E ) dE states/cm3 lying in the energy range
between E and E + dE
(if E  Ev).

General energy dependence of


gc (E) and gv (E) near the band edges.
How do electrons and holes populate the bands?

 Probability of Occupation (Fermi Function) Concept


 Now that we know the number of available states at each energy, then
how do the electrons occupy these states?
 We need to know how the electrons are “distributed in energy”.
 Again, Quantum Mechanics tells us that the electrons follow the
“Fermi-distribution function”.

1 Ef ≡ Fermi energy (average energy in the crystal)


f (E)  ( E  E f ) / kT k ≡ Boltzmann constant (k=8.61710-5eV/K)
1 e T ≡Temperature in Kelvin (K)

 f(E) is the probability that a state at energy E is occupied.


 1-f(E) is the probability that a state at energy E is unoccupied.

 Fermi function applies only under equilibrium conditions, however, is


universal in the sense that it applies with all materials-insulators,
semiconductors, and metals.
How do electrons and holes populate the bands?

 Fermi-Dirac Distribution

Ef

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