APPLICATION OF THE COLLECTIVE APPROACH TO THE THERMODYNAMICS OF AN ELECTRON GAS,
Abstract
The collective approach of Pines and Bohm was applied to the problem of the thermodynamics of the N-particle electron gas including transverse radiation. Partitioning of the internal energy and certain of the other thermodynamic quantities is discussed generally. The system is seen to divide itself into three approximately independent subsystems: (1) an infinite set of free harmonic oscillators, corresponding to the transverse field; (2) a set of s free harmonic oscillators corresponding to the longitudinal (plasma) oscillations, with an energy spectrum h-bar omega sub T (k), given by the dispersion relation for plasma oscillations; and (3) a set of (N - s/3) quasi-particles of mass approximately equal to the electron mass, interacting via a short-range potential which is essentially screened Coulomb. Analytical expressions for the energy, pressure, and constant-volume specific heat of the transverse oscillators are given, together with approximate expressions applicable to the high-density-low-temperature and low-density-high-temperature limits. Detailed numerical calculations of the internal energy and pressure of the longitudinal modes are presented. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1967
- Accession Number
- AD0660424
Entities
People
- Lawrence J. Caroff
- Richard L. Liboff
Organizations
- Cornell University