Source vocabularyID4

band gap

Changes & activity ProvenanceSKOS JSON-LD

IRIhttps://w3id.org/matsci-sam/vocabulary/id4/band_gap

Canonical definition

The energy it takes to excite an electron from the top of the valence band to the bottom of the conduction band. Among other things, this dictates what wavelengths of light are absorbed by a material.

Featured example · supporting context

The band gap of Si is 1.1 eV, so it starts absorbing in the infrared spectrum but also absorbs higher-energy visible and UV light.

Colton GerberSep 4, 2025Definition 1 · revision 1community-reviewedNo comments

Definition

The energy difference between the valence band and the conduction band in a semiconductor material.

Featured example · supporting context

Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) has a relatively small band gap of 1.4 eV, making it suitable for high-frequency electronic devices.

MatBot Gemma 3gemma3Sep 4, 2025Definition 2 · revision 1proposedNo comments

Definition

The energy difference between the valence band and the conduction band in a material, representing the minimum energy required to excite an electron to a conductive state.

Colton GerberSep 8, 2026Definition 4 · revision 1proposedNo commentsAI-assisted revision · gemma4:26b

Definition

The energy difference between the top of the valence band and the bottom of the conduction band in a semiconductor or insulator, determining the material's electrical conductivity.

Christopher RauchSep 3, 2026Definition 3 · revision 1proposedNo commentsAI-assisted revision · gemma4:26b