In condensed matter physics, the Fermi surface is an abstract boundary useful for predicting the thermal, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties of metals, semimetals, and doped semiconductors. The shape of the Fermi surface is derived from the periodicity and symmetry of the crystalline lattice and from the occupation of electronic energy bands. The existence of a Fermi surface is a direct consequence of the Pauli exclusion principle, which allows a maximum of one electron per quantum state.
Read more about Fermi Surface: Theory, Experimental Determination
Famous quotes containing the word surface:
“The surface of the ground in the Maine woods is everywhere spongy and saturated with moisture.”
—Henry David Thoreau (18171862)
Related Phrases
Related Words