bandgap

1. The difference in energy in a substance between electron orbitals in which the electrons are not free to move (the valence band) and orbitals in which they are relatively free and will carry a current (the conduction band). In semiconductors, some electrons are sustained in the conduction band by thermal energy. Energy released when an electron in the conduction band falls into a hole in the valence band is called bandgap radiation.

2. See also hole semiconductor laser

Example Sentences

"The graphene sheets can be used to tune the bandgap of the semiconductors, making the semiconductor more or less responsive, depending on the quality of the graphene," says Julia Chang, first author of the paper and a postdoctoral researcher at NC State.

Read more on Science Daily

"I feel confident that what we have demonstrated here, coupled with a very efficient low bandgap PV cell, has very promising potential," Naik said.

Read more on Science Daily

"Optical bandgap" refers to the minimum amount of energy needed to make a material absorb or emit light.

Read more on Science Daily

By adjusting the bandgap, researchers can make semiconductors absorb or emit different colors of light, and such tunability is essential for designing new devices.

Read more on Science Daily

They discovered how this scattering shifts the optical bandgap to the red end of the light spectrum for heavier isotopes.

Read more on Science Daily