Electrons and holes in bismuth

Abstract

We have re-examined the data published to date that give information (1) on the carrier density per (electron or hole) ellipsoid and (2) on the total carrier density in bismuth at helium temperatures. We show that, in contradiction to some recent conjectures, the number of electron ellipsoids is three; the number of light-hole ellipsoids, one. The uncertainty in the analysis allows for the possible existence of heavy holes with a number density no greater than 15% of the light-hole density, assuming that there are no heavy electrons. © 1962 The American Physical Society.