For a gas of particles confined inside a two-dimensional box, the density of states is constant, independent of ε(see Problem 7.28). Investigate the behavior of a gas of noninteracting bosons in a two-dimensional box. You should find that the chemical potential remains significantly less than zero as long as T is significantly greater than zero, and hence that there is no abrupt condensation of particles into the ground state. Explain how you know that this is the case, and describe what does happen to this system as the temperature decreases. What property must ε have in order for there to be an abrupt Bose-Einstein condensation?

Short Answer

Expert verified

The given statement was proved right by finding the chemical potential less than zero

Step by step solution

01

Step 1. Given information

Number of atoms in 2-dimensional box =

N=0g(ε)1e(ε-μ)/kT-1dε

Here,

g(ε)=density of states,

k=Boltzmann constant,

T=temperature of the gas,

μ=chemical potential,

ε= energy of the particle in a two-dimensional box.

02

Step 2. Since the density of states is constant, the number of atoms in two-dimensional  box is

N=g01e(ε-μ)/kT-1dε

If we take μ=0

N=g01eϵ/kT-1dε

Let's take x=εkT

N=g01ex-1dε

As we know the value of

01ex-1dx=

Therefore the number of atoms =

N=g01ex-1dε

From the above result, it's clear that there's infinite number of atoms within the low-lying excited state when the chemical potential is zero. But the number of atoms is finite, So our assumption is not possible.

03

Step 3. The number of atoms in two dimensional box,

N=g01e(ε-μ)kT-1dε

=g01e-μ/kTeε/kT-1dε

The integral will not be divergent if e-μ/kT>1

Applying the natural logarithm and solving the chemical potential we get,

-μkT>ln(1)

μ<ln(1)kT

μ<0

Thus, the chemical potential is less than zero. Hence the given statement is proved.

04

Step 4.  Discussion on negative value of chemical potential

The chemical potential should be negative as a result of the integral is finite (or the chemical potential is a smaller amount than zero the least bit temperatures). So, the whole particles can settle into the ground-state energy at very-low temperatures. because the temperature of the system goes to zero, the particles endlessly move to the ground-state, with no abrupt transition.

To get abrupt transition, the integral for the number of atoms in the two-dimensional box must be convergent at its lower limit when μ=0. This condition will possible only when the value of the density of states g(ε) goes to zero as ε goes to zero.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

Consider a collection of 10,000 atoms of rubidium- 87 , confined inside a box of volume (10-5m)3.

(a) Calculate ε0, the energy of the ground state. (Express your answer in both joules and electron-volts.)

(b) Calculate the condensation temperature, and compare kTctoε0.

(c) Suppose that T=0.9TcHow many atoms are in the ground state? How close is the chemical potential to the ground-state energy? How many atoms are in each of the (threefold-degenerate) first excited states?

(d) Repeat parts (b) and (c) for the case of 106atoms, confined to the same volume. Discuss the conditions under which the number of atoms in the ground state will be much greater than the number in the first excited state.

In a real semiconductor, the density of states at the bottom of the conduction band will differ from the model used in the previous problem by a numerical factor, which can be small or large depending on the material. Let us, therefore, write for the conduction band g(ϵ)=g0cϵ-ϵcwhere g0cis a new normalization constant that differs from g0by some fudge factor. Similarly, write gat the top of the valence band in terms of a new normalization constant g0v.

(a) Explain why, if g0vg0c, the chemical potential will now vary with temperature. When will it increase, and when will it decrease?

(b) Write down an expression for the number of conduction electrons, in terms of T,μ,candg0cSimplify this expression as much as possible, assuming ϵc-μkT.

(c) An empty state in the valence band is called a hole. In analogy to part (b), write down an expression for the number of holes, and simplify it in the limit μ-ϵvkT.

(d) Combine the results of parts (b) and (c) to find an expression for the chemical potential as a function of temperature.

(e) For silicon, g0cg0=1.09andg0vg0=0.44*.Calculate the shift inµ for silicon at room temperature.

Compute the quantum volume for an N2molecule at room temperature, and argue that a gas of such molecules at atmospheric pressure can be

treated using Boltzmann statistics. At about what temperature would quantum statistics become relevant for this system (keeping the density constant and pretending that the gas does not liquefy)?

Show that when a system is in thermal and diffusive equilibrium with a reservoir, the average number of particles in the system is

N=kTZZμ

where the partial derivative is taken at fixed temperature and volume. Show also that the mean square number of particles is

N2¯=(kT)2Z2Zμ2

Use these results to show that the standard deviation of Nis

σN=kTN/μ,

in analogy with Problem6.18Finally, apply this formula to an ideal gas, to obtain a simple expression forσNin terms ofN¯Discuss your result briefly.

Imagine that there exists a third type of particle, which can share a single-particle state with one other particle of the same type but no more. Thus the number of these particles in any state can be 0,1 or 2 . Derive the distribution function for the average occupancy of a state by particles of this type, and plot the occupancy as a function of the state's energy, for several different temperatures.

See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Physics Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free