bandgap

American  

[band-gap] / ˈbændˌgæp /

noun

• bandgaps
  plural

1. Physics. the energy difference between the valence band and the conduction band in a solid, representing the range of energies that electrons cannot occupy and therefore cannot use to conduct electricity. The bandgap is greatest in insulators, smaller in semiconductors, and nonexistent in metals.

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bandgap Scientific  

/ bănd′găp′ /

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

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• sub-bandgap
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• bandgaps
  plural

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bandgap bandgaps

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

From Science Daily ● May 3, 2024

Owing to the high bandgap of alumina, the cooling ceramic keeps solar absorption to a minimum.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 10, 2023

Both materials have semiconducting properties like silicon, but unlike silicon, they can also withstand high temperatures and radiation because of their wide electronic bandgap and high atomic binding energy.

From Scientific American ● Oct. 23, 2023

Blue light comprises high-energy photons; gallium nitride, with its wide bandgap, was the first semiconductor that could practically produce photons with the sufficient energy.

From New York Times ● May 16, 2022

Wide bandgap, or WBG, semiconductors are advantageous in power electronics because they can move more power more efficiently.

From New York Times ● May 16, 2022

These organic solar cells consist of front and rear subcells with varying bandgaps, enabling broader absorption and use of the solar spectrum.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 8, 2024

This setup enables greater flexibility in selecting the bandgaps of each cell of the tandem, thereby optimizing photon absorption and enhancing the overall efficiency of solar energy production.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 8, 2024

For the MEG studies, the hydrazine-treated devices allowed for the use of larger QD sizes with smaller bandgaps, facilitating the ability to study high-energy photons relative to the bandgap.

From Science Magazine ● Dec. 15, 2011

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