Consider a gas of nidentical spin-0 bosons confined by an isotropic three-dimensional harmonic oscillator potential. (In the rubidium experiment discussed above, the confining potential was actually harmonic, though not isotropic.) The energy levels in this potential are ε=nhf, where nis any nonnegative integer and fis the classical oscillation frequency. The degeneracy of level nis(n+1)(n+2)/2.

(a) Find a formula for the density of states, g(ε), for an atom confined by this potential. (You may assume n>>1.)

(b) Find a formula for the condensation temperature of this system, in terms of the oscillation frequency f.

(c) This potential effectively confines particles inside a volume of roughly the cube of the oscillation amplitude. The oscillation amplitude, in turn, can be estimated by setting the particle's total energy (of order kT) equal to the potential energy of the "spring." Making these associations, and neglecting all factors of 2 and πand so on, show that your answer to part (b) is roughly equivalent to the formula derived in the text for the condensation temperature of bosons confined inside a box with rigid walls.

Short Answer

Expert verified

(a) Number of density states g(ε)=12ε2(hf)3.

(b) The condensation temperature for this system =hfkN1.20213

(c) The expression obtained was roughly equal to the condensate temperature of bosons confined inside a box with rigid walls.

Step by step solution

01

Step 1. Given information

Number of particles =

N=0g(ε)dεe(ε-μ)kT-1 (Equation-1)

Here,

g(ε)=density of states,

k= Boltzmann's constant,

T= temperature.

02

Step 2.  (a) To find the formula for density state

The energy levels in the 3-dimensional harmonic oscillator,

ε=nhf

Here,

nis any nonnegative integer and fis the classical oscillation frequency, and his the Planck's constant

n=εhf

The degeneracy level of n=

g(n)dn=12(n+1)(n+2)

Assuming n>>1g(n)dn=n·n2dn,

g(n)dn=n22dn

Differentiating the equation ε=nhfon both side

dε=dnhf

dn=dεhf'

Substituting the value of dn=dεhf'and n=ε/hfin the equation g(n)dn=n22dn,

g(ε)dε=12εhf2dεhf

=12ε2(hf)3dε

Thus, Number of density states,g(ε)=12ε2(hf)3

03

Step 3. To find the condensate temperature of the system we have N=∫0∞g(ε)dεe(ε-μ)kT-1 

Substituting the value of μ=0,N0=0,g(ε)=12ε2hf'3

N=012ε2(hf)3dεeεkT-1

Let ,x=εkTanddx=dεkT

N=012xkTc2(hf)3dxkTcex-1

=12kTChf30x2dxex-1

kTChf3=2N0x2dxex-1 (Equation-2)

As we know,

0x2ex-1dx=Γ(3)ζ(3)

=2!(1.202)

=2.404

Substituting the value of 0x2ex-1dx=2.404in Equation-2

kTChf3=2N2.404

TC=hfkN1.20213

Thus, the condensate temperature for this system=hfkN1.20213

04

Step 4. To find the condensation temperature of bosons confined inside a box with rigid walls

We have,

The expression for potential energy

Epot=CL22

kTC=CL22

Here,

C= spring constant

L= distance from the equilibrium position.

Angular frequency of system, ω=Cm

C=mω2

Substituting the value of C in equation kTC=CL22

kTc=mω2L22

kTCω2=mL22

ω2kTc=2mL2

Multiplying and dividing left side with h2,

2ω22kTC=2mL2

(hf)22kTc=2mL2

05

Step 5.  The condensate temperature is kTC=hfN1.20213

Applying square on both sides

kTC2=(hf)2N1.20223

kTC=(hf)2kTCN1.20223

=2(hf)22kTcN1.20223

Substituting the value of 2mL2=(hf)22kTC

kTc=22mL2N1.20223

=h2π22mL2N1.20223

Substituting V1/3=L

kTC=1πh22πmNV2311.20223

=0.318h22πmNV23

Therefore, the expression obtained was roughly equal to the condensate temperature of bosons confined inside a box with rigid walls.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

(a) As usual when solving a problem on a computer, it's best to start by putting everything in terms of dimensionless variables. So define t=T/Tcc=μ/kTc,andx=ϵ/kTc. Express the integral that defines μ, equation 7.122, in terms of these variables. You should obtain the equation

(b) According to Figure 7.33, the correct value of cwhen T=2Tcis approximately -0.8. Plug in these values and check that the equation above is approximately satisfied.

(c) Now vary μ, holding Tfixed, to find the precise value of μfor . Repeat for values of T/Tcranging from 1.2up to 3.0, in increments of 0.2. Plot a graph of μas a function of temperature.

In analogy with the previous problem, consider a system of identical spin0bosonstrapped in a region where the energy levels are evenly spaced. Assume that Nis a large number, and again let qbe the number of energy units.

(a) Draw diagrams representing all allowed system states from q=0up to q=6.Instead of using dots as in the previous problem, use numbers to indicate the number of bosons occupying each level.

(b) Compute the occupancy of each energy level, for q=6. Draw a graph of the occupancy as a function of the energy at each level.

(c) Estimate values of μand Tthat you would have to plug into the Bose-Einstein distribution to best fit the graph of part(b).

(d) As in part (d) of the previous problem, draw a graph of entropy vs energy and estimate the temperature at q=6from this graph.

In Problem 7.28you found the density of states and the chemical potential for a two-dimensional Fermi gas. Calculate the heat capacity of this gas in the limit role="math" localid="1650099524353" kTεF· Also show that the heat capacity has the expected behavior when kTεF. Sketch the heat capacity as a function of temperature.

Change variables in equation 7.83 to λ=hc/ϵ and thus derive a formula for the photon spectrum as a function of wavelength. Plot this spectrum, and find a numerical formula for the wavelength where the spectrum peaks, in terms of hc/kT. Explain why the peak does not occur at hc/(2.82kT).

Sometimes it is useful to know the free energy of a photon gas.

(a) Calculate the (Helmholtz) free energy directly from the definition

(Express the answer in terms of T' and V.)

(b) Check the formula S=-(F/T)Vfor this system.

(c) Differentiate F with respect to V to obtain the pressure of a photon gas. Check that your result agrees with that of the previous problem.

(d) A more interesting way to calculate F is to apply the formula F=-kTlnZ separately to each mode (that is, each effective oscillator), then sum over all modes. Carry out this calculation, to obtain

F=8πV(kT)4(hc)30x2ln1-e-xdx

Integrate by parts, and check that your answer agrees with part (a).

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