A1.14

Quantum Physics
Part II, 2004

(i) Each particle in a system of NN identical fermions has a set of energy levels EiE_{i} with degeneracy gig_{i}, where i=1,2,i=1,2, \ldots. Derive the expression

Nˉi=gieβ(Eiμ)+1,\bar{N}_{i}=\frac{g_{i}}{e^{\beta\left(E_{i}-\mu\right)}+1},

for the mean number of particles Nˉi\bar{N}_{i} with energy EiE_{i}. Explain the physical significance of the parameters β\beta and μ\mu.

(ii) The spatial eigenfunctions of energy for an electron of mass mm moving in two dimensions and confined to a square box of side LL are

ψn1n2(x)=2Lsin(n1πxL)sin(n2πyL)\psi_{n_{1} n_{2}}(\mathbf{x})=\frac{2}{L} \sin \left(\frac{n_{1} \pi x}{L}\right) \sin \left(\frac{n_{2} \pi y}{L}\right)

where ni=1,2,(i=1,2)n_{i}=1,2, \ldots(i=1,2). Calculate the associated energies.

Hence show that when LL is large the number of states in energy range EE+dEE \rightarrow E+d E is

mL22π2dE\frac{m L^{2}}{2 \pi \hbar^{2}} d E

How is this formula modified when electron spin is taken into account?

The box is filled with NN electrons in equilibrium at temperature TT. Show that the chemical potential μ\mu is given by

μ=1βlog(eβπ2ρ/m1)\mu=\frac{1}{\beta} \log \left(e^{\beta \pi \hbar^{2} \rho / m}-1\right)

where ρ\rho is the number of particles per unit area in the box.

What is the value of μ\mu in the limit T0T \rightarrow 0 ?

Calculate the total energy of the lowest state of the system of particles as a function of NN and LL.