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In solid-state physics, the valence band and conduction band are the bands closest to the Fermi level, and thus determine the electrical conductivity of the solid. In nonmetals, the valence band is the highest range of electron energies in which electrons are normally present at absolute zero temperature, while the conduction band is the lowest range of vacant electronic states.
The name "valence band" was coined by analogy to chemistry, since in semiconductors (and insulators) the valence band is built out of the valence orbitals. In a metal or semimetal, the Fermi level is inside of one or more allowed bands. In semimetals the bands are usually referred to as "conduction band" or "valence band" depending on whether ...
A quasi Fermi level is a term used in quantum mechanics and especially in solid state physics for the Fermi level (chemical potential of electrons) that describes the population of electrons separately in the conduction band and valence band, when their populations are displaced from equilibrium.
The resulting conduction-band electron (and the electron hole in the valence band) are free to move within the crystal lattice and serve as charge carriers to conduct electric current. It is closely related to the HOMO/LUMO gap in chemistry. If the valence band is completely full and the conduction band is completely empty, then electrons ...
The conduction band, above the Fermi level, is normally nearly completely empty. Because the valence band is so nearly full, its electrons are not mobile, and cannot flow as electric current. However, if an electron in the valence band acquires enough energy to reach the conduction band as a result of interaction with other electrons, holes ...
Based on the energy eigenvalues, conduction band are the high energy states (E>0) while valence bands are the low energy states (E<0). In some materials, for example, in graphene and zigzag graphene quantum dot, there exists the energy states having energy eigenvalues exactly equal to zero (E=0) besides the conduction and valence bands. These ...
The band gap is called "direct" if the crystal momentum of electrons and holes is the same in both the conduction band and the valence band; an electron can directly emit a photon. In an "indirect" gap, a photon cannot be emitted because the electron must pass through an intermediate state and transfer momentum to the crystal lattice.
The band gap (usually given the symbol ) gives the energy difference between the lower edge of the conduction band and the upper edge of the valence band. Each semiconductor has different electron affinity and band gap values. For semiconductor alloys it may be necessary to use Vegard's law to calculate these values.