Let $\Lambda \subset \mathbb{R}^{2}$ be a Bravais lattice. Define the dual lattice $\Lambda^{*}$ and show that

$$V(\mathbf{x})=\sum_{\mathbf{q} \in \Lambda^{*}} V_{\mathbf{q}} \exp (i \mathbf{q} \cdot \mathbf{x})$$

obeys $V(\mathbf{x}+l)=V(\mathbf{x})$ for all $l \in \Lambda$, where $V_{\mathbf{q}}$ are constants. Suppose $V(\mathbf{x})$ is the potential for a particle of mass $m$ moving in a two-dimensional crystal that contains a very large number of lattice sites of $\Lambda$ and occupies an area $\mathcal{A}$. Adopting periodic boundary conditions, plane-wave states $|\mathbf{k}\rangle$ can be chosen such that

$$\langle\mathbf{x} \mid \mathbf{k}\rangle=\frac{1}{\mathcal{A}^{1 / 2}} \exp (i \mathbf{k} \cdot \mathbf{x}) \quad \text { and } \quad\left\langle\mathbf{k} \mid \mathbf{k}^{\prime}\right\rangle=\delta_{\mathbf{k} \mathbf{k}^{\prime}}$$

The allowed wavevectors $\mathbf{k}$ are closely spaced and include all vectors in $\Lambda^{*}$. Find an expression for the matrix element $\left\langle\mathbf{k}|V(\mathbf{x})| \mathbf{k}^{\prime}\right\rangle$ in terms of the coefficients $V_{\mathbf{q}}$. [You need not discuss additional details of the boundary conditions.]

Now suppose that $V(\mathbf{x})=\lambda U(\mathbf{x})$, where $\lambda \ll 1$ is a dimensionless constant. Find the energy $E(\mathbf{k})$ for a particle with wavevector $\mathbf{k}$ to order $\lambda^{2}$ in non-degenerate perturbation theory. Show that this expansion in $\lambda$ breaks down on the Bragg lines in k-space defined by the condition

$$\mathbf{k} \cdot \mathbf{q}=\frac{1}{2}|\mathbf{q}|^{2} \quad \text { for } \quad \mathbf{q} \in \Lambda^{*}$$

and explain briefly, without additional calculations, the significance of this for energy levels in the crystal.

Consider the particular case in which $\Lambda$ has primitive vectors

$$\mathbf{a}_{1}=2 \pi\left(\mathbf{i}+\frac{1}{\sqrt{3}} \mathbf{j}\right), \quad \mathbf{a}_{2}=2 \pi \frac{2}{\sqrt{3}} \mathbf{j}$$

where $\mathbf{i}$ and $\mathbf{j}$ are orthogonal unit vectors. Determine the polygonal region in $\mathbf{k}$-space corresponding to the lowest allowed energy band.