What is the Fermi Energy and Sub-band Occupancy in a Quantum Well?

In summary, the conversation discussed a quantum well with a sheet carrier density of 2 x 10^16 m^-2 and an electron effective mass of 0.1m_e^*. The Fermi energy of the carrier distribution in the well was calculated using the equation \varepsilon_F=\frac{\hbar^2\pi}{m_e^*}n_s, assuming the spacing between sub-bands was much greater than the Fermi energy. When the spacing between the lowest two sub-bands was given as 25meV, the resultant occupancy of each sub-band was determined by calculating the energies \Delta E_{1_o} and \Delta E_{2_o} and using the relations \Delta E_{1
  • #1
Matt atkinson
116
1

Homework Statement


a) A quantum well contains electrons at a sheet carrier density of [itex]n_s =2 \times 10^{16}m^{-2}[/itex]. The electron effective mass is [itex]0.1m_e^*[/itex]. Calculate the Fermi energy of the carrier distribution in the well. You may assume the spacings between sub-bands in the quantum well is very much greater than the Fermi energy.
b) If instead the spacing between the lowest two sub-bands is [itex]25meV[/itex], deduce the resultant occupancy in meV of each of the two sub-bands.

Homework Equations


For a) I used
[tex]\varepsilon_F=\frac{\hbar^2\pi}{m_e^*}n_s[/tex]
which was derived from the 2D density of states.

The Attempt at a Solution


So I understand part a), but part b) has me confused.
I interpreted the problem as shown in the image below.
I assume the thing that I need to find is the energies I denoted as [itex]\Delta E_{1_o}[/itex] and [itex]\Delta E_{2_o}[/itex], and when I asked my lecturer about the question he said to look at it as a geometry problem but I just can't see, would I literally just need to calculate the energys [itex]E_1[/itex] and [itex]E_2[/itex] and use that and the fermi energy to determine the width?

Using;
[tex]25meV=\frac{\hbar^2\pi^2}{2m_e^*d^2}\left( 2^2-1^2 \right)[/tex]

I found the QW width and then used the following relations to get the occupancy;
[tex]\Delta E_{1_o}=\varepsilon_F -E_1[/tex]
[tex]\Delta E_{2_o}=\varepsilon_F -E_2[/tex]
TLM3KK3.jpg
 
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  • #2
I then substituted the corresponding values for the Fermi energy, E1 and E2 to get;\Delta E_{1_o}=13.92meV\Delta E_{2_o}=11.08meVWould this be correct? I'm not 100% sure on this.
 

FAQ: What is the Fermi Energy and Sub-band Occupancy in a Quantum Well?

1. What is semiconductor sub-band occupancy?

Semiconductor sub-band occupancy refers to the number of electrons occupying energy levels within a particular band in a semiconductor material. In other words, it is a measure of the number of electrons present in a specific energy range within a semiconductor material.

2. How is semiconductor sub-band occupancy related to band structure?

The band structure of a semiconductor material, which represents the allowed energy levels for electrons to occupy, is directly related to its sub-band occupancy. The number of electrons in a particular sub-band is determined by the band structure and the Fermi level, which represents the energy at which the probability of finding an electron is 50%.

3. What factors affect the sub-band occupancy in a semiconductor?

The sub-band occupancy in a semiconductor is affected by a variety of factors, including temperature, doping concentration, and applied electric fields. These factors can alter the band structure and the Fermi level, thereby changing the number of electrons in each sub-band.

4. Why is sub-band occupancy important in semiconductor devices?

Sub-band occupancy is crucial in understanding the behavior and performance of semiconductor devices. The number of electrons in each sub-band dictates the electrical and optical properties of the material, which ultimately affects the functionality of the device. Therefore, controlling and manipulating sub-band occupancy is essential for designing and optimizing semiconductor devices.

5. How is sub-band occupancy measured in semiconductor materials?

Sub-band occupancy can be measured using various techniques, including Hall effect measurements, capacitance-voltage measurements, and optical spectroscopy. These methods allow for the determination of the number of electrons in each sub-band and provide valuable information about the band structure and electrical properties of the semiconductor material.

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