Skip to main content
Ch.13 - Solids & Modern Materials
Chapter 13, Problem 67

Does a photon of red light with a frequency of 4.29⨉1014 Hz have sufficient energy to promote an electron from the valence band to the conduction band in a sample of silicon (the band gap in silicon is 1.11 eV)?

Verified Solution

Video duration:
3m
This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.
Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Photon Energy

The energy of a photon is directly related to its frequency and can be calculated using the equation E = hν, where E is energy, h is Planck's constant (6.626 x 10^-34 J·s), and ν is the frequency of the light. For red light with a frequency of 4.29 x 10^14 Hz, this relationship allows us to determine if the photon has enough energy to affect electron transitions in materials.
Recommended video:
Guided course
01:40
Photon Energy Formulas

Band Gap Energy

The band gap energy is the energy difference between the valence band and the conduction band in a semiconductor. In silicon, this band gap is approximately 1.11 eV, which means that an electron must gain at least this amount of energy to transition from the valence band to the conduction band, allowing for electrical conductivity.
Recommended video:
Guided course
03:13
Intepreting the Band of Stability

Energy Conversion

To determine if the photon can promote an electron in silicon, we must convert the photon's energy from electron volts (eV) to joules (J) or vice versa. Since 1 eV is equivalent to 1.602 x 10^-19 J, this conversion is essential for comparing the energy of the photon with the band gap energy of silicon to see if the transition is possible.
Recommended video:
Guided course
01:56
Conversion Factors