3C25 - 2003

UPDATES
Corrections to notes/handouts

A.H. Harker
Physics and Astronomy
UCL
 Lecture 9
 Phonon spectra of real solids. In general: N atoms in
the unit cell → 3 acoustic branches and 3(N − 1) opti-
cal branches (not 3N acoustic branches as in original
version).
 Lecture 11
 Density of states in 3-D and the Debye frequency.
An unfortunate placement of two equations had run
them together: instead of
Z ω
D V ω2 V ωD3 3 6N π 2 3
N= 2 3
dω = 2 3 ωD = v
0 2π v 6π v V
you should have
Z ω
D V ω2 V ωD3 6N π 2
N= 2 3
dω = 2 3 ωD3 = v3
0 2π v 6π v V
  Debye theory of the specific heat:
3 3
3N ~ kB T 3 Z x
D x4ex
CV = SkB 3 3 3 2
dx,
kB ΘD ~ 0 (ex − 1)
T 3 Z x
D x4ex
= 3N SkB dx :
ΘD3 0 (ex − 1)2
the original version had an intrusive v3 in the denom-
inator in the first line.
 Lecture 21
 Section8.3.3 omitted a factor of ~ in two equations,
which should read:
1
vh = ∇kh Eh,
~
and
1
vh = − ∇ke (−Ee) = ve.
~
 Thelast equation conflated expressions for current
and conductivity. The current is the sum of electron
and hole currents,
J = −eneve + enhvh,

so the conductivity is
σ = neeµe + nheµh,

or
e2τ e2τ
σ = ne ∗ + nh ∗ .
me mh
Note that we have assumed equal relaxation times, τ ,
for electrons and holes – this is not necessarily true.
 Lecture 22
 An erroneous power of ~ crept in in several places.
The correct equations are
 ∗ 3/2
1 2me kBT
Nc(T ) = V 2
,
4 π~

∗ 3/2
2mhkBT

1
nv (T ) = 2
,
4 π~
 3/2
−Eg /(2k B T ) 1 2kBT ∗ ∗
3/4
ni(T ) = e me mh
4 π~2
and
 3/2
−Eg /(2k B
2kBT
T ) 1 ∗ ∗
3/4
e 2
me mh
4 π~
 ∗ 3/2
1 2me kBT (µ−Ec)/(kBT ).
= e
4 π~2
 Furthermore, the number 5×1025 which appears twice,
in nc(T ) and in ni(T ), should be 5 × 1021.