Silver has the same face-centred cubic structure as copper

PHYSICS · Subjective · Fermi University Physics · Condensed Matter, Materials & Soft Matter · Free electrons, energy bands and electronic structure · Free electrons, energy bands and electronic structure

Condensed Matter Physics, Ch Electrons in a periodic potential: Bloch's theorem and the opening of a gap

Problem

Silver has the same face-centred cubic structure as copper, lattice constant a=4.09 A˚a=4.09\ \mathrm{\mathring{A}}, and free-electron density n=5.86×1028 m−3n=5.86\times10^{28}\ \mathrm{m^{-3}}. Estimate silver's Fermi wavevector using Chapter 8's formula and its nearest zone face using the same 3 π/a\sqrt3\,\pi/a estimate used earlier in this chapter for copper. How close does silver's Fermi sphere come to that zone face, and what does the answer say about where this chapter's weak-potential picture is least trustworthy for silver?

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