Calculate the Fermi energy and Fermi temperature for copper.
Strategy Equation (9.42) can be used to compute the Fermi energy, provided the number density of conduction electrons is known. That number for copper is given in Table 9.3. (See also Problem 27.)
E_{ F }=E_{1}\left(\frac{3 N}{\pi}\right)^{2 / 3}=\frac{h^{2}}{8 m}\left(\frac{3 N}{\pi L^{3}}\right)^{2 / 3} (9.42)
Table 9.3 Free-Electron Number Densities for Selected Elements at T = 300 K | |||
Element | N/V \left(\times 10^{28} m ^{-3}\right) | lement | N/V \left(\times 10^{28} m ^{-3}\right) |
Cu | 8.47 | Mn (\alpha) | 16.5 |
Ag | 5.86 | Zn | 13.2 |
Au | 5.9 | Cd | 9.27 |
Be | 24.7 | Hg (78 K) | 8.65 |
Mg | 8.61 | Al | 18.1 |
Ca | 4.61 | Ga | 15.4 |
Sr | 3.55 | In | 11.5 |
Ba | 3.15 | Sn | 14.8 |
Nb | 5.56 | Pb | 13.2 |
Fe | 17 | ||
From N. W. Ashcroft and N. D. Mermin, Solid State Physics, Philadelphia: Saunders College (1976). |