299 Lab Experiments Experiment-133 S FERMI ENERGY Dr .D Sudhakar Rao and Ms Chaithra G M Dept of Physics, St. Aloysius College, Mangalore-575 003. INDIA. Email:[email protected] Abstract Fermi energy and Fermi temperature of copper, iron, gold and silver is determined by studying resistance variations at different temperatures. The values obtained are compared with the standard values. Introduction “Fermi level” is the term used to describe the top of the collection of electronic energy levels at absolute zero temperature. This concept comes from Fermi – Dirac statistics. Electrons are fermions and by the Paulis Exclusion Principle cannot exist in identical energy states. So at absolute zero they pack into the lowest available energy states and build up a “Fermi sea” of electron energy states. The Fermi level is the surface of that sea at absolute zero where no electrons will have enough energy to rise above the surface. The concept of the Fermi energy is important for the understanding of the electrical and thermal properties of the solids. Both ordinary electrical and thermal processes involve energies of a small fraction of an electron volt. But the Fermi energies of metals are of the order of few electron volts. This implies that the vast majority of the electrons cannot receive energy for these processes because there are no available energy states for them to go to within a fraction of an electron volt of their present energy. At higher temperatures a certain fraction, characterized by the Fermi function, will exist above the Fermi level. For a metal, the density of conduction electrons can be implied from the Fermi energy. The Fermi energy also plays an important role in understanding the mystery of why electrons do not contribute significantly to the specific heat of solids at ordinary temperatures. Further, in metals, Fermi energy gives us information about the velocities of the electrons which participate in ordinary electrical conduction. The Fermi velocity VF of these conduction electrons can be calculated from the Fermi energy EF using the relation, VF = Where 2E F m …1 m = 9.1 x 10-31 kg is the mass of electron. EF is Fermi Energy VF is Fermi Velocity This speed is a part of the microscopic Ohm’s Law for electrical conduction. A Fermi gas is a collection of non-interacting fermions. It is quantum mechanical version of ideal gas. Vol-5, No-4, Dec.-2005 300 Lab Experiments Electrons in metals and semiconductors can be approximately considered as Fermi gases. The energy distribution of the fermions in a Fermi gas in thermal equilibrium is determined by their density, the temperature and the set of available energy states using Fermi-Dirac statistics. It is possible to define a Fermi temperature below which the gas can be considered degenerate. This temperature depends on the mass of the fermions and the energy. For metals, the electron gas’s Fermi temperature is generally many thousands of Kelvin, so they can be considered degenerate. Fermi temperature TF can be obtained by the relation EF = kTF …2 Where k = 1.38 x 10-23 J K-1 is Boltzmann constant. Theory The number of free electrons in metal per unit volume is given by, n= Nρ M Where …3 N = 6.023 x 1026 per m3 is Avogadro number ρ = density of the metal M = Mass number of the metal The electrical conductivity of the metal, σ= L Ra Where …4 L is the length of the metal wire R is its resistance at a reference temperature a is the area of cross-section of the wire. The relaxation time is given by, τ= σm ne 2 …5 Where e = 1.602 x 10-19 C is electron charge. If VF is Fermi velocity, then mean free path of electrons, λF =VFτ …6 Now Fermi energy, 2 ne 2 πAr 2 ∆R 2 x EF = L (2m) ∆T …7 Vol-5, No-4, Dec.-2005 Lab Experiments 301 Where the constant A = λF x T T is the reference temperature of the wire in Kelvin, r is the radius of the wire ∆R is the slope of the straight line obtained by plotting resistance of the ∆T metal against absolute temperature of the metal. Once the Fermi energy is found, Fermi temperature can be calculated using the equation-2. Apparatus Used DC regulated power supply, digital milli ammeter, Digital milli voltmeter (DMM), Heating arrangements, Thermometer 0-160 degree, and Wires of copper, gold, silver and iron. The complete experimental setup is shown in Figure-1 Figure-1, Fermi Energy Experimental Setup Experimental Procedure 1. About 2 meter length copper wire is taken and its radius is determined and cross sectional area is calculated. Its mass number and density are noted from Clark’s table. LCopper = 2.2m, Radius r =0.165x10-3m Cross sectional area =πr2 = 85.52x10-9m2 Density ρ = 8930 Kg m-3 Mass number M = 63.54 gm 2. The wire is wound over an insulating tube (10-15mm dia) to form a coil. The coil is immersed in pre heated liquid paraffin as shown in the experimental setup. The two end Vol-5, No-4, Dec.-2005 302 Lab Experiments of the coiled wire is connected to a power supply through a milli ammeter. And milli voltmeter is connected across the coil. 3. A thermometer is immersed in the beaker containing liquid paraffin and coil. When the thermometer attains steady temperature the temperature is noted. 4. The power supply is switched on and voltage and currents are noted In Table-1. The liquid is allowed to cool and power supply is switched off until another steady temperature is reached. 5. Trial is repeated taking reading in the interval of 5 degree and until the temperature reach 45 degree. At each temperature the voltages and currents measured are noted in Table-1. 6. A graph is drawn taking temperature in degree K along X-axis and resistance on Y axis as shown in Figure-2. The slope of straight line is calculated. Resistance (Ohms) Table-1 Temperature Voltage Current ºC ºK (mV) (mA) 98 371 24.6 42.9 90 363 24.2 43.1 85 358 23.8 43.2 80 353 23.5 43.2 75 348 23.1 43.1 70 343 22.8 43.1 65 338 22.5 43.2 60 333 22.3 43.3 55 328 21.8 43.5 45 318 21.5 43.6 Resistance variation with temperature Resistance (Ω) 0.5730 0.5614 0.5509 0.5439 0.5359 0.5290 0.5208 0.5150 0.5057 0.4650 0.595 0.575 0.555 0.535 0.515 0.495 0.475 300 320 340 360 380 Temperature (K) Figure-2, Variation of resistance with temperature for copper wire Slope of the straight line in Figure-2 ∆R = 1.4414 x10 − 3 ΩK-1 ∆T Vol-5, No-4, Dec.-2005 303 Lab Experiments 7. Experiment is repeated for Iron, Silver and Gold wires Calculations At 318 degree K Electron density n = Nρ 6.023 x10 26 x8930 = = 8.464 x10 28 /Kgmol M 63.546 Electrical conductivity σ = L 2.2 = = 5.531x107 / Ωm −9 Ra 0.465 x85.52 x10 The Fermi velocity for copper VF = 1.57x106m/sec The relaxation time τ = σm 5.531x107 x9.1x10 −31 = = 2.317 x10 −14 sec ne 2 8.464 x10 28 x(1.602 x10 −19 ) 2 Mean free path λF = VFτ = 1.57x1062.317x10-14=3.638x10-8m Constant A = λF T= 3.638x10-8 x318 = 11.57x10-6 Fermi Energy 2 ne 2 πAr 2 ∆R 2 x EF = L (2m) ∆T 2 8.464 x10 28 (1.602 x10 −19 ) 2 3.14 x11.57 x10 −6 (0.165 x10 −3 ) 2 −3 2 = x (1.44 x10 ) −31 2.2 2 x9.1x10 −18 = 1.09 x10 J = 6.8 eV Fermi Temperature TF = E F 1.09x10−18 = = 78.98x103 K k 1.38x10− 23 The various parameters connected with this experiment is tabulated in Table-2 for comparison Table-2 28 7 Metal Z nx10 σx10 τx10-14 λFx10-8 Ax10-6 Slope X 10-3 Iron 26 17 0.60 0.62 0.25 0.79 1.375 Copper 29 8.46 5.5 2.3 3.6 11.5 1.441 Silver 47 5.86 5.7 3.4 4.8 14.5 0.545 Gold 79 5.90 4.1 2.4 3.4 10.34 3.209 Comparison of various parameters of metals used in this experiment Vol-5, No-4, Dec.-2005 304 Lab Experiments Results The results obtained are tabulated in Table-3 Metal Iron Copper Silver Gold Mass No Z 26 29 47 79 Fermi Energy (eV) Fermi Temperature (T) x103K Expt Thet Expt Thet 11.8 11.1 13.69 12.89 6.8 7.0 7.9 8.13 5.23 5.49 6.07 6.37 5.57 5.53 6.47 6.42 Experimental Results References 1. Eisburg, R and Resnik, R., Quantum physics of atoms, molecules, solids, Nuclei and particles. 2nd Ed. Newyork: Willy,1985 2. Neil W. Asheroft and N. David Mermin, Solid State Physics Vol-5, No-4, Dec.-2005
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