Replying to message "Re: [Pw_forum] Pw_forum Digest, Vol 30, Issue 16" from Q.J.Wang (08/12/09): > The system I study is not insulator ,it is semiconductor(doped ZnO)and > the system has odd electrons .This can not apply an electic field via > Berry phase ?
Dear QJ, a semiconductor *is* (at zero temperature) an insulator, and it has an even number of electrons per cell. ZnO is a semi-conductor, doped ZnO is a conductor, maybe with a low density of carriers, but still a conductor. What matters for the Berry phase method is if you have partially occupied bands, you do. Anyway, you are free to try, but it is your responsibility to study the theory and see if it makes sense. There are actually not many people that can give you a meaningful advice on this subject (without even knowing your system). regards -- Lorenzo Paulatto SISSA & DEMOCRITOS (Trieste) phone: +39 040 3787 511 skype: paulatz www: http://people.sissa.it/~paulatto/ *** save italian brains *** http://saveitalianbrains.wordpress.com/
