Van Hove Singularities

Van Hove singularities are special points in the electronic structure of materials where the density of available electron energy states sharply increases. They occur at energies where the electron’s movement becomes less free due to the material’s atomic arrangement, leading to a “pile-up” of electrons at those energies. These singularities can significantly influence a material's electrical, magnetic, and optical properties by enhancing interactions at specific energies. Think of them as energy “hotspots” that can make certain electronic behaviors more pronounced, affecting how materials conduct electricity or respond to light.