Energy Band Gap Simulation
Comparing carbon, silicon, and germanium semiconductor materials
This simulation visualizes the energy band gaps (Eg) of carbon, silicon, and germanium. These group IV elements have different band gap energies that determine their electrical properties.
Energy Band Gap Theory
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The energy band gap (Eg) is the energy difference between the valence band and conduction band.
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Carbon (diamond) has the largest band gap (5.5 eV), making it an insulator at room temperature.
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Silicon has a moderate band gap (1.1 eV), making it an excellent semiconductor.
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Germanium has the smallest band gap (0.7 eV), making it more conductive than silicon.
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The band gap determines the minimum energy needed to excite electrons to the conduction band.
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Smaller band gaps result in higher intrinsic carrier concentrations at a given temperature.
