PHYSICS 152B/232
Spring 2017
Homework Assignment #2 Solutions
[1] Consider a tight-binding model of monovalent atoms on a two-dimensional rectan-
gular lattice with primitive direct lattice vectors a1 = ax x̂ and a2 = ay ŷ and hopping
integrals tx,y .
(a) Assuming ax > ay , which of tx,y do you expect to be largest? Why?
(b) Find the dispersion relation E(k).
(c) Sketch the Fermi surface within the Brillouin zone.
Solution :
(a) The hopping integrals are due to the overlaps of exponentially localized atomic
wavefunctions. Therefore ax > ay entails tx < ty .
(b) The dispersion is
E(kx , ky ) = −2tx cos(kx ax ) − 2ty cos(ky ay ) .
(c) See Fig. 1. Define the energies B ≡ 2tx + 2ty and ∆ ≡ −2tx + 2ty , which are
both positive. Then for E(k) ∈ (−B, −∆), the equal energy surfaces are closed con-
tractable ellipse-like curves shown in blue. For E(k) ∈ (∆, B), the Fermi surfaces are
closed ellipse-like curves shown in red. Recall that the Brillouin zone is topologically
a torus, so the red curves are indeed closed and contractable. The solid and dashed
black curves, respectively, lie at energies ∓∆. For monovalent atoms, there is one
electron per cell, and by symmetry the Fermi energy lies at εF = 0, and therefore
resembles one of the green curves which are closed but not contractable since they
wind around the Brillouin zone torus.
[2] Consider the one-dimensional Bloch oscillations discussed in §1.6.3 of the Lecture
Notes. Setting k(0) = 0, show that a Taylor expansion of the motion x(t) agrees with
the ballistic result to order t2 , if the ballistic mass is taken to be the effective mass
m∗ at k = 0.
1
Figure 1: Equal energy surfaces for the function E(kx , ky ) in problem 1. The Fermi
surface is topologically among the family of green curves. See text for description.
Solution :
According to §1.6.3 of the Lecture Notes, if E(k) = −2β cos(ka), and setting k(0) = 0,
the motion of a Bloch wavepacket is given by
"
βeEa2 t2
2β eaEt F 2
x(t) = x(0) − cos −1 = = t ,
eE ~ ~ 2 2m∗
with F = −eE the force on the electron. The relation between β and m∗ is obtained
from E(k) = −2β + βa2 k 2 + O(k 4 ), whence we identify β = ~2 /2m∗ a2 .
2
[3] Make a sketch of the extended Brillouin zones like in Fig. 2.2 of the Lecture
Notes, but for the triangular lattice. Then make plots the free electron Fermi surface
for valences Z = 2 and Z = 3, such as in Fig. 2.3.
Solution :
See Fig. 2. For Z = 2 the free electron Fermi sphere extends into the second Brillouin
zone, and for Z = 3 it extends into the third Brillouin zone!
Figure 2: Left: Brillouin zones for the triangular lattice structure. Right: The con-
centric circles correspond to electron fillings of Z = 1, Z = 2, and Z = 3 per unit
cell.
[4] Suppose, in the vicinity of the Γ point for some material, the electron dispersion
−1 µ ν
is of the form E(k) = 12 (m∗ )µν k k , where m∗ is the effective mass tensor. Find
an expression for the low-temperature molar heat capacity in terms of density n and
temperature T . Your expression should involve the tensor m∗ in some way.
Solution :
The heat capacity is CV = V γT , where γ = 13 π 2 kB2 g(εF). The density of states at the
Fermi energy is g(εF) = mkF /π 2 ~2 for free electrons (spin degeneracy included). For
a general quadratic dispersion, we can choose our Cartesian axes to align with the
principal axes of the effective mass tensor m∗αβ . These axes are necessarily orthogonal
because the effective mass tensor is symmetric. Along principal axes, the conduction
2 2 ~2 k 2 2 2
band dispersion is given by E(k) = ~2mk∗x + 2m∗y + ~2mk∗z , and we may rescale each kα in
√ x y z
the DOS integral by m∗α , yielding
det 1/3 (m∗ ) (3π 2 n)1/3
g(εF) = .
π 2 ~2