Quantum free-electron theory, constant-potential

Quantum Free-Electron Theory Constant-Potential Model, The simple quantum free-electron theory (1) is based on the electron-in-a-box model, where the box is the size of the crystal. This model assumes that (1) the positively charged ions and all other electrons (nonvalence electrons) are smeared out to give a constant background potential (a potential box having a constant interior potential), and (2) the electron cannot escape from the box boundary conditions are such that the wavefunction if/ is... 

Th.e refinements of the theory, which have been worked out in particular by Houston, Bloch, Peierls, Nordheim, Fowler and Brillouin, have two main objects. In the first place, the picture of perfectly free electrons at a constant potential is certainly far too rough. There will be binding forces between the residual ions and the conduction electrons we must elaborate the theory sufficiently to make it possible to deduce the number of electrons taking part in the process of conduction, and the change in this number with temperature, from the properties of the atoms of the substance. In principle this involves a very complicated problem in quantum mechanics, since an electron is not in this case bound to a definite atom, but to the totality of the atomic residues, which form a regular crystal lattice. The potential of these residues is a space-periodic function (fig. 10), and the problem comes to this— to solve Schrodinger s wave equation for a periodic poten-tial field of this kind. That can be done by various approximate methods. One thing is clear if an electron... 

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