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The Fermi level does not necessarily correspond to an actual energy level (in an insulator the Fermi level lies in the band gap), nor does it require the existence of a band structure. Nonetheless, the Fermi level is a precisely defined thermodynamic quantity, and differences in Fermi level can be measured simply with a voltmeter.
µ is the total chemical potential of electrons, or Fermi level (in semiconductor physics, this quantity is more often denoted E F). The Fermi level of a solid is directly related to the voltage on that solid, as measured with a voltmeter. Conventionally, in band structure plots the Fermi level is taken to be the zero of energy (an arbitrary ...
In this case, the carrier density (in this context, also called the free electron density) can be estimated by: [5] n = N A Z ρ m m a {\displaystyle n={\frac {N_{\text{A}}Z\rho _{m}}{m_{a}}}} Where N A {\displaystyle N_{\text{A}}} is the Avogadro constant , Z is the number of valence electrons , ρ m {\displaystyle \rho _{m}} is the density of ...
In undoped semiconductors the Fermi level lies in the middle of a forbidden band or band gap between two allowed bands called the valence band and the conduction band. The valence band, immediately below the forbidden band, is normally very nearly completely occupied. The conduction band, above the Fermi level, is normally nearly completely empty.
In solid-state physics, the valence band and conduction band are the bands closest to the Fermi level, and thus determine the electrical conductivity of the solid. In nonmetals, the valence band is the highest range of electron energies in which electrons are normally present at absolute zero temperature, while the conduction band is the lowest range of vacant electronic states.
E F or μ: Although it is not a band quantity, the Fermi level (total chemical potential of electrons) is a crucial level in the band diagram. The Fermi level is set by the device's electrodes. For a device at equilibrium, the Fermi level is a constant and thus will be shown in the band diagram as a flat line. Out of equilibrium (e.g., when ...
The example in the figure shows the Fermi level in the bulk material beyond the range of the applied field as lying close to the valence band edge. This position for the occupancy level is arranged by introducing impurities into the semiconductor.
When a material's Fermi level falls in a bandgap, there is no Fermi surface. Fig. 2: A view of the graphite Fermi surface at the corner H points of the Brillouin zone showing the trigonal symmetry of the electron and hole pockets. Materials with complex crystal structures can have quite intricate Fermi surfaces.