What is the momentum of an electron?

In summary, an indirect band gap material requires the absorption or emission of a phonon in order to conserve momentum when an electron moves from a higher energy level to a lower one. This is because photons cannot carry crystal momentum in these materials. For more information, refer to the Wikipedia article on indirect band gap.
  • #1
iVenky
212
12
I was learning about indirect band gap and it says that when the electron comes down from upper energy level to lower energy level it emits photon(which I can understand) but in order to conserve the momentum it emits phonons (which I couldn't understand).

Can you please help me with this?

Thanks a lot.
 
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  • #2
Try wikipedia here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indirect_band_gap

Note the diagrams near the top of the page...

I don't know much about phonon quasi particles except that they are associated with vibrating structures like lattices...

In an "indirect" gap, a photon cannot be emitted because the electron must pass through an intermediate state and transfer momentum to the crystal lattice.

Is this your situation??...read further along in the wiki article and note

...photons cannot carry crystal momentum,...in an indirect band gap material, the process must also involve the absorption or emission of a phonon, where the phonon momentum equals the difference between the electron and hole momentum.
QUOTE]
 
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FAQ: What is the momentum of an electron?

What is the momentum of an electron?

The momentum of an electron refers to its mass in motion, which is determined by its velocity and mass. It is a fundamental property of an electron and plays a significant role in understanding its behavior.

How is the momentum of an electron calculated?

The momentum of an electron can be calculated using the equation p = mv, where p is the momentum, m is the mass of the electron, and v is its velocity. This equation is derived from Newton's second law of motion.

What is the unit of measurement for electron momentum?

The unit of measurement for electron momentum is kilogram-meter per second (kg•m/s) in the SI system. In other systems, it may also be expressed as gram-centimeter per second (g•cm/s) or atomic unit of momentum (a.u.).

How does the momentum of an electron affect its behavior?

The momentum of an electron determines how it interacts with other particles and how it moves through a medium. A higher momentum means a faster-moving electron with greater kinetic energy, which can result in stronger interactions and a longer distance traveled before losing energy.

Can the momentum of an electron be changed?

Yes, the momentum of an electron can be changed by altering its velocity or mass. This can be achieved through various means such as applying a force, changing the electron's energy level, or colliding with other particles.

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