Jay A.

Bick
ID #:1200824707
EEE 352
LAB #3
Periodic Potential Lab
1.
1.6

1.4

1.2

0.8 Bandwidth (eV)

Bandgap (eV)
0.6

0.4

0.2

0
1 2 3 4 5 6

n Bandwidth (eV) Bandgap (eV)

1 0.075 0.22699
2 0.273 0.28994
3 0.543 0.31845
4 0.845 0.33134
5 1.165 0.3367
6 1.483  

1. We can clearly see from the graphs that as the potential for the bandwidth
and the bandgap increase as the number of the band goes higher. We must be
careful to notice however that the potential is raising at a linear rate for the
bandwidth, but logrithmically for the bandgap. That is to say that the
bandwidth potential is increasing continuously while the bandgap potential
is increasing at a decreasing rate. This falls in line with the expectations
outlined in the manaul. This is occuring because as the number of bandgap
gets higher the smaller the wave periods have to be to create new resonant
frequencies, so in affect there are more band in a shorter range.
2.
width bandwidth 2nd bandwidth 4th
1.4 0.313 0.972
1.3 0.38 1.161
1.2 0.467 1.401
1.1 0.571 1.699
1 0.725 2.114

2.5

1.5

bandwidth 2nd
bandwidth 4th
1

0.5

0
1 2 3 4 5

2. As the width decreases the bandwidth potentials for the second and fourth
energy levels increases substantially. This is because as the well gets
narrower it requires much more energy to excite the electrons to higher
states. The geometry of the well determines the necessary energy levels.
Logically this coincides with everything learned thus far.
2b.With regards to the question raised about silicon under raising temperature
conditions we can infer several things from the data previously collected. We
know that from basic physics that as the temperature is raised for a material that
the molecules in that material move faster and therefore over time have a
smaller average distance from each other. From a solid states physics
perspective this means the width of the well is decreasing just like that shown in
the graphs above. The data shows us that much higher energy levels are
required to move electrons to the next energy levels making the band gaps
between bands much wider. SO it should be no surprise that the band gap
increase for silicon as it gets hotter (another reason engineers attempt to reduce
power consumption on chips as much as possible, because it effects the
performance of the semiconductor). The principle energy gap gets narrower
because it takes less energy to excite the electron to the first state as the width of
the well gets narrower.