Quantum mechanics of electrons in crystal lattices

Abstract

Introduction.–Through the work of Bloch our understanding of the behaviour of electrons in crystal lattices has been much advanced. The principal idea of Bloch’s theory is the assumption that the interaction of a given electron with the other particles of the lattice may be replaced in first approximation by a periodic field of potential. With this model an interpretation of the specific heat, the electrical and thermal conductivity, the magnetic susceptibility, the Hall effect, and the optical properties of metals could be obtained. The advantages and limitations inherent in the assumption of Bloch will be much the same as those encountered when replacing the interaction of the electrons in an atom by a suitable central shielding of the unclear field, as in the work of Thomas and Hartree. In the papers quoted a number of general results were given regarding the behaviour of electrons in any periodic field of potential. To obtain a clearer idea of the details of this behaviour with a view to the application in special problems, however, it appeared worth while to investigate the mechanics of electrons in periodic fields of potential somewhat similar to those met with in practice and of such nature that the energy values W and eigenfunctions Ψ of the wave-equation can actually be computed. It is the purpose of this article to discuss a case where the integration is possible. In Section 1 the energy values and in Section 2 the wave-functions in their dependence on the binding introduced by the potential field are discussed for the one dimensional problem. In Section 3 the matrix elements of the linear momentum, which furnish the electric current associated with the various stationary states, are well as the probability of radiative transitions between these states, are evaluated. In Section 4 the results are extended to the three dimensional case and those features considered which one may expect to find in the case of more general periodic fields of potential. Section 5 deals with some applications to physical problems.