dc.contributor.author | Olsen, Raina J. | eng |
dc.contributor.author | Vignale, Giovanni, 1957- | eng |
dc.date.issued | 2010 | eng |
dc.description | Permalink: http://dx.doi.org/10.1119/1.3436664 | eng |
dc.description.abstract | We introduce a model of electrons incident on a one-dimensional periodic potential and show that conduction is a result of the interference of different parts of an electron wave that bounce multiple times through a series of potentials, ultimately being transmitted or reflected. Simple iterative equations are derived that determine the transmission and reflection coefficients of a periodic system.We find that total reflection of the electron occurs in certain energy ranges, as well as ranges of energy within which complete transmission can occur. The energy ranges in which transmission occurs are equivalent to the conduction bands traditionally found using Bloch's theorem. These equations are solved numerically, allowing a concrete demonstration of conduction. The disordered case is also addressed. | eng |
dc.description.sponsorship | This work was supported in part by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DMR-0705460 and the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357. | eng |
dc.identifier.citation | American Journal of Physics -- September 2010 -- Volume 78, Issue 9, pp. 954 | eng |
dc.identifier.issn | 0002-9505 | eng |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10355/9988 | eng |
dc.language | English | eng |
dc.publisher | American Association of Physics Teachers | eng |
dc.relation.ispartofcollection | University of Missouri--Columbia. College of Arts and Sciences. Department of Physics and Astronomy. Physics and Astronomy publications | eng |
dc.subject.lcsh | Conduction band | eng |
dc.subject.lcsh | Crystals | eng |
dc.subject.lcsh | Electric conductivity | eng |
dc.subject.lcsh | Quantum theory | eng |
dc.title | The quantum mechanics of electric conduction in crystals | eng |
dc.type | Article | eng |