https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.08794
Average velocity that a charge carrier attains due to an applied electric field.
Notes:
- If an electric field is absent, charge carriers move randomly. An applied electric field induces drift (net movement) of charge carriers in a preferred direction. Average net velocity of this movement is called the drift velocity \(v_{\rm{d}}\).
- The drift velocity of a charge carrier is directly proportional to the applied electric field strength \(E\): \[v_{\rm{d}} = \mu E\] where constant \(\mu\) is the charge carrier mobility in the given material.