Energy bands and the Fermi level

The Fermi level of electrons in metals, as shown in Eqn. 1-15, is given by Eqn. 2-2  

2 The real potential and the chemical potential of electrons in metals 

In ph ics, the term of work function is frequently used to represent the energy of electrons in metals. In electrochemistry, however, we use the real potenticU, a., instead of the work function, 4 , to represent the energy level of electrons in metals as shown in Eqn. 2-4  

An electron transferring across the metal surface first sustains the electrostatic coulomb potential due to the sinface potential, x, and then enters into the exchange and correlation potential field,, caused by the ion-electron and electron-electron 

The real potential, a , of electrons in metals, as shown in Eqn. 2-4, comprises the electrostatic surface term, - ex, due to the surface dipole and the chemical potential term, M., determined by the bulk property of metal crystals. In general, the electrostatic surface term is greater the greater the valence electron density in metals whereas, the chemical potential term becomes greater the lower the valence electron density in metals. 

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