Manish Jain Homework 2 March 16, 2016

Problem 1. Complex wavevectors in the energy gap

(C. Kittel Ch 7, Problem 5)
Find an expression for the imaginary part of the wavevector in the energy gap at the
boundary of the first Brillouin zone, by solving the central equation in the approximation
that only the coefficients of two plane waves whose energies are equal at the boundary k-
point are important. Give the result for the Im(k) at the center of the energy gap. The
result for small Im(k) is

(h2 /2m)[Im(k)]2 2mU 2 /(h2 G2 )

Problem 2. Effect of weak periodic potential at places in k-space

where Bragg planes meet
(Ashcroft and Mermin Ch 9, Problem 3)
Consider a point W (kW = (2/a)(1, 21 , 0)) in the Brillouin zone of the fcc structure.
Here the Bragg planes ((200), (111), (111)) meet, and accordingly the free electron energies

h2 2
01 =k
2m
h2 2
2
02 = k (1, 1, 1)
2m a
2
h 2
2
03 = k (1, 1, 1)
2m a
2
h 2
2
04 = k (2, 0, 0)
2m a
are degenerate when k = kW and equal to W = h2 k2W /2m.
(a) Show that in a region of k-space near W, the first order energies are given by the
solutions to
0 
1  U1 U1 U2 

 U1 02  U2 U1 
 0 =0
 U1
 U2 3  U1 
 U2 U1 U1 04 
where U2 = U200 , U1 = U111 = U111 and that at W the roots are

 = W U2 (twice);  = W + U2 2U1
(b) Using a similar method, show that the energies at the point U (kU = (2/a)(1, 14 , 41 ))
are

 = U U2 ;  = U + 12 U2 12 (U22 + 8U12 )1/2

where U = h2 k2U /2m.

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Manish Jain Homework 2 March 16, 2016

Problem 3. Cyclotron mass near the band minimum

(Ashcroft and Mermin Ch 12, Problem 2)
For electrons near a band minimum (or maximum) (k) has the form

h2
(k) = constant + (k k0 ) M1 (k k0 )
2
where the matrix M is independent of k.

(a) Assuming the magnetic field is along the z direction, calculate the cyclotron effective
mass and show that it is independent of  and kz , and given by
 1/2
|M|
m =
Mzz

where |M| is the determinant of matrix M.

Problem 4. Landau levels

(C. Kittel Ch 9, Problem 11)
The vector potential of a uniform magnetic field Bz is A = Byx in the Landau gauge.
The Hamiltonian of a free electron without spin is

H = (h2 /2m)( 2 /y 2 + 2 /z 2 ) + (1/2m)[ih/x eyB/c]2

We will look for an eigenfunction of the wave equation H =  in the form

= (y) exp[i(kx x + kz z)]

(a) Show that (y) satisfies the equation

(h2 /2m)d2 /dy 2 + [ (h2 kz2 /2m) 12 mc2 (y y0 )2 ] = 0

where c = eB/mc and y0 = chkx /eB.

(b) Show that this is the wave equation of a harmonic oscillator with frequency c , where

n = (n + 12 )hc + h2 kz2 /2m

Problem 5. Cohesive energy of bcc and fcc neon

(C. Kittel Ch 3, Problem 2)
Using the Lennard-Jones potential, calculate the ratio of the cohesive energies of neon in
the bcc and fcc structures. The lattice sums for the bcc structures are:
X0 X0
p12
ij = 9.11418; p6
ij = 12.2533
j j

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Manish Jain Homework 2 March 16, 2016

Problem 6. Linear ionic crystal

(C. Kittel Ch 3, Problem 5)
Consider a line of 2N ions of alternating charge q with a repulsive potential energy
A/Rn between nearest neighbors,

(a) Show that at the equilibrium separation

2N q 2 ln 2 1
U (R0 ) = (1 )
R0 n
(b) Let the crystal be compressed so that R0 R0 (1 ). Show that the work done in
compressing a unit length of the crystal has the leading term 21 C 2 , where

(n 1)q 2 ln 2
C=
R0

Problem 7. Diatomic chain in 1D

(C. Kittel Ch 4, Problem 3)
For the problem treated in class for a diatomic chain, find the amplitude ratios ue /uo
for the two branches at k = /b. Show that at this value of k the two lattices act as if
decoupled: one lattice remains at rest while the other lattice moves.

Problem 8. Soft phonon modes

(C. Kittel Ch 4, Problem 7)
Consider a line of ions of equal mass but alternating in charge, with ep = e(1)p as
the charge on the pth ion. The interatomic potential is the sum of two contributions: A) a
short-range interaction of force constant = that acts between nearest neighbors only, and
B) a coulomb interaction between all ions.

(a) Show that the contribution of the coulomb interaction to the atomic force constants is
Cp = 2(1)p e2 /p3 a3 , where a is the equilibrium nearest-neighbor distance.

(b) Show that the dispersion relation may be written as

X
2 (k)/02 = sin2 12 ka + (1)p (1 cos pka)p3
p=1

where 02 = 4/M and = e2 /a3 .