Section 7.

7 Visual Summary: Band

Theory

Learning Objective: Explain such properties as electrical conductivity

and the colour of metals, non-metals, and metalloids in terms of band
theory.
Key Concepts: Metals conduct heat and electricity because their band
gaps are so small. Semiconductors have intermediate band gaps. A doped
semiconductor has almost the same band structure as the pure material,
but different electron populations in its bands.
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7.7 Band Theory of Solids
• An extension of the delocalized orbital ideas
• Accounts for the properties of metals, and explains the
properties of metalloids such as Silicon

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Delocalized Orbitals in Lithium Metal

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Electrical Conductivity
• Close spacing between orbital energies result in energy
bands.
• When a potential is applied, electrons flow through the
metal from the negative end to the positive end (through
the orbitals)

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Insulators vs Conductors

Band Gap (Eg) – the

energy difference
between the filled
bonding orbitals and
the empty
antibonding orbitals.

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Metalloids
• Semiconductors – compounds that become conductors
in the presence of an appropriate energy source.

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Doped Semiconductors
• Doped semiconductor: when a specific impurity is
added deliberately to a pure substance, the result is a
material with nearly the same band structure as the
pure compounds, but with different electron
populations.
o n-type semiconductor: Si or Ge doped with atoms from
Group 15, more electrons than the pure substance
o p-type semiconductor: Si or Ge doped with atoms from
Group 13, less electrons than the pure substance.

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Copyright

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