Topic 10 - Electronic Properties of Materials

Vocabulary terms covering the electronic characteristics of materials, focusing on band structure and energy levels.

Electronic properties

Properties that govern how a material responds to electric fields and the flow of electrical current.

Band Structure

The range of energy levels that electrons within a material can occupy.

Valence Band

The highest energy band that is fully occupied by electrons at absolute zero temperature.

Conduction Band

The band located above the valence band where electrons are free to move and conduct electricity.

Band Gap

The energy gap between the valence band and the conduction band; it determines if a material is an insulator or semiconductor.

Metals

Materials in which the valence and conduction bands overlap, allowing electrons to flow freely.

Insulators

Materials with a large band gap where electrons cannot easily jump to the conduction band.

Semiconductors

Materials that have a small band gap between the valence and conduction bands.

Fermi level

The level located between the energy bands whose position relative to the conduction band edge determines whether a material is a conductor, semiconductor, or insulator.

Forbidden Gap

Another term for the band gap between the Valency Band and the Conduction Band.