The Drude Theory of Metals

Alexander Su June 17, 2011

Drude Model Overview

Motivation Basic Assumptions of the Model Collision and Relaxation Time DC, AC Electrical Conductivity Hall Effect and Magnetoresistance Why are metals shiny?

Motivation
Metals are excellent conductors of heat and electricity, are ductile and malleable Physicists have tried to construct simple models of the metallic state that account the characteristic metallic properties Theory of Paul Drude in 1900 came only a few years after J.J. Thompson discovered the electrons

Metals Valence Assumption

Number of protons is Za Number of valence electrons is Z Each metallic atom has: A nucleus of charge +Zae Z valence/conduction electrons free to leave the atom to form electron gas Za-Z core electrons of charge (Za-Z)e tightly bound to the

Classical Thoery: Drude Model

Drude proposed valence electrons constantly bounce between heavier, stationary crystal ions

E E E

Drude Model Assumptions

Ions are arranged in fixed positions and cannot move Collisions between es and ions are instantaneous, uncorrelated events Ignore all other interactions Independent electron approximation Free electron approximation Electron experiences a collision with a probability per unit time 1/ is the mean time between collisions independent on the electron position or momentum

Equations of Motion
Electrons collisions

pc (t+ dt) = 0
pnc (t+ dt) = p(t) + F(t)dt

dt Pc = dt Pnc = 1

No collisions

Average momentum

dt p(t+ dt) = Pc pc (t+ dt) + Pnc pnc (t+ dt) = (1 )[ p(t) + F(t)dt]

Taking a derivative

dp(t) p(t+ dt) p(t) = lim dt0 dt dt dp(t) p(t) = + F(t) dt

EoM averaged over electrons

DC Electric Field
In uniform DC electric field

dp p = eE(t) dt
Drift velocity

For steady state vdt

dp(t) =0 dt

e vd = E m

Number of electrons passing an Area A in time dt

n(vdt)A
Total charge passing through A in time dt

Current density

j = nev

nevAdt

DC Electrical Conductivity
With

j = nev

and

Ohms Law

ne2 j= E m

e vd = E m
or

j =E

Conductivity

ne2 = m

Current is caused by an electric field Current depends linearly on the strength of the electric field Current density depends on the conductivity of the material Resistivity

1 m = 2 ne

The Hall Effect (1879)

Charge carriers in a current deflected to one surface of a conductor

Hall Effect (1879)

Positive Charge Carriers Negative Charge Carriers

Charge carriers deflected toward the top surface Excess surface charges creates an electric field Steady state reached

Halls Observation

Magnetoresistance (H)

Ex jx

Magnetoresistance independent of magnetic field

Drude Model: Magnetoresistance

Force acting on each electron

f = e( E + v H / c)

Momentum per electron

p dp p = e E + H = dt m c
px
eEy = wc px py
where

In steady state

eEx = wc py

wc

eH m c

with

py = 0
(H) =
1 m = 2 ne

nepx ne2 jx = = Ex m m

Magnetoresistance

In Drude model, (H) is independent of magnetic field.

AC Conductivity and the Shiny

Oscillating electric field

i t E(t) = Re[ E( )e ]

Ohms Law

j ( ) = ( )E( )

where

ne2 1 ( ) = m 1 i

Maxwells equations with no net charge

E = 0 H = 0
2 E = 2 ( )E c
2

1 H 4 1 E E = H = j+ c t c c t
where

Wave equation

( ) 1+
where

4 i
4 ne2 m
2 p

At high frequencies

>> 1

2 p ( ) = 1 2

AC Conductivity and the Shiny

Wave equation

2 2 E = 2 ( )E c

2 p ( ) = 1 2

real and negative, no wave propagation metal is reflective real and positive, propagating waves metal is transparent
For metals the plasma frequency is in the ultraviolet.

Bibliography
Ashcroft, N., & Mermin, N. (1976). Solid State Physics. New York: Harcourt, Inc. Tompkins, H., & Irene, E. (2005). Handbook of Ellipsometry. New York: William Andrew, Inc. Knight, R. (2004). Physics for Scientists and Engineers. San Francisco: Addison Wesley