Electronic Materials

Tutorial 3
1. a

Why do H2 molecules form easily when inter-atomic distance, r reaches to the equilibrium
distance, r0 ?

The splitting of a one-atom energy level when a molecule is formed is analogous to the splitting
of the resonant frequency in an RLC circuit when two such circuits are brought together and
coupled. Explain with neat sketches.

With above argument, extent the explanation to Li metal with N atoms.

2. a

Draw a schematic (simplified) electron energy band diagram for metal copper. Given: Fermi
energy, EF =7.0 eV and work function, = 4.65 eV.

What is the significance of E-k plot for metal in the absence of applied electric field?

When a field , E is applied what happens to change the shape of the E-k plot?

In aluminium, the Fermi energy of the conduction electron is 11.7 eV. What is the speed of
electrons in the metal around this energy?

3. a
b
4
.
5
.

In a system comprising of two hydrogen atoms, explain the status of bonding molecular orbitals
and antibonding molecular orbitals with the help of Energy vs. inter atomic separation between
atoms.

For opto- electronic applications, how does the input photon energy is selected with respect to the
Eg of the semiconductor?
The optical communication network uses wave length 1.3 and 1.55m. Choose a semiconductor
that can be used as a photo detector. What is your criteria to choose a photo detector?
What the significance of effective mass while considering the behavior of material in a given
environment?

a Describe the distribution of states in the energy band.

b What do you understand by density of states? How does it vary with the
energy in a band?
c What is the significance of Fermi-Dirac function, f (E)?
d

6
.

3. Exp Explain how the Fermi-Dirac function changes with the increase in temperature.

a Describe the contact potential with the help of tunneling that occur between two given metal.
b
c
d

4.
5.
6.

What is Seebeck effect?

Explain how a thermocouple is designed and calibrated?
Give one example each for thermocouples used <1000oC and >1000 oC.

7.
Consider a thermocouple pair that consists of gold and aluminium. One junction s at 100 oC and
the other is at 0oC. A voltmeter (with a very large input resistance) is inserted into the
aluminium wire. Use the properties of Au and Al in Table to estimate the emf registered by
the voltmeter and identify the positive end.
Table : Seebeck coefficients of selected metals.
Metal
S
at S
at EF(eV)
X
0oC
27oC
( V K- (VK-1)
1
)
Al
-1.6
-1.8
11.6
2.78
Au
+1.79
+1.94
5.5
-1.48

7 a ca A vacuum tube is required to have a cathode operating at 800 oC and providing an emission
.
(saturation) current of 10 A. What should be the surface area of the cathode for the two
materials in given Table ? What should be the operating temperature for the Th and W
cathode, if it is to have the same surface area as the oxide- coated cathode?
Table
Th on W
Oxide coating

8.
9.

Be (A m-2 K-2)
3* 104
100

(eV)
2.6
1

Describe how the electrons are emitted by heating (thermionic emission) and applying field
(field emission). Give two materials for each that are used as emitters in above cases.