|By trying to understand
the structure of matter one has always the feeling that the nature
could be explained in terms of building blocks, which join together
or break apart in simple ways. The Greeks thought that there might
be basic atoms, out of which everything else could be formed.
Over the years this ancient philosophical approach led scientists
to several theories. However, only in 1900 when Max Planck postulated
his quantum hypothesis, scientists had a mathematical basis for establishing
the modern atomic theory and ultimately for explaining the behavior
of electrons in solids.
In 1926, another German physicist Erwin Schrodinger formulated the
famous quantum mechanical equation, which could quantify the behavior
of electrons in solids. Fig 247
By using those scientifics advancements after almost 50 years of its
discovery physicists finally could tiedty together all the puzzling
phenomena found in the crystal detection, led to the birth of the
first man-made semiconductor device.
Fig. 247 - a didactic concept
of the structuring of an atom according the suggestion proposed
by Niels Bohr in 1940, displaying the electron configuration
of the Boron element. The elemental atom's particle comprising
the nucleous with 5 protons and 5 neutrons as well as the
outer orbit with 5 electrons. Nowadays, more accurate mathematical
model are used because the particle path, for instance the
electron's position, cannot be measured so accurately to justify
picturing it in an orbit around the nucleous. The mathematical
formulation can forecast the probability of finding the electron
at different distances from the nucleous. This vaguenes about
electronic configuration is the physicists' saga when discribing
the behavior of atom particles.
Planetary eletrons in orbit. Composed nucleus for
5 protons and 5 neutrons.