Lecture 24. Degenerate Fermi Gas (Ch.

7)
We will consider the gas of fermions in the degenerate regime, where the density n
exceeds by far the quantum density nQ, or, in terms of energies, where the Fermi energy
exceeds by far the temperature. We have seen that for such a gas is positive, and well
confine our attention to the limit in which is close to its T=0 value, the Fermi energy EF.

~ kBT
/EF
occupancy

1 kBT/EF
T=0

(with respect to EF)

The most important degenerate Fermi gas is
the electron gas in metals and in white dwarf
n , T f , T
1
stars. Another case is the neutron star, whose

exp 1 density is so high that the neutron gas is
B
k T degenerate.
 empty states
Degenerate Fermi Gas in Metals

We consider the mobile electrons in the conduction EF conduction
band which can participate in the charge transport. The band
energy is measured from the bottom of the conduction 0
band. When the metal atoms are brought together, valence
their outer electrons break away and can move freely band
through the solid. In good metals with the concentration
~ 1 electron/ion, the density of electrons in the electron states
conduction band n ~ 1 electron per (0.2 nm)3 ~ 1029 electron states
in an isolated
electrons/m3 . in metal
atom
The electrons are prevented from escaping from the metal by the net Coulomb attraction to
the positive ions; the energy required for an electron to escape (the work function) is
typically a few eV. The model assumes that the electrons for an ideal Fermi gas confined
within impenetrable walls.
Why can we treat this dense gas as ideal? Indeed, the Coulomb interactions between
electrons at this density must be extremely strong, and in a a solid, the electrons move in
the strong electric fields of the positive ions. The first objection is addressed by the
Landaus Fermi liquid theory. The answer to the second objection is that while the field of
ions alters the density of states and the effective mass of the electrons, it does not
otherwise affect the validity of the ideal gas approximation. Thus, in the case of simple
metals, it is safe to consider the mobile charge carriers as electrons with the mass slightly
renormalized by interactions. There are, however, examples that the interactions lead to
the mass enhancement by a factor of 100-1000 (heavy fermions).
 The Fermi The density of states per unit
1 2m
3/ 2

volume for a 3D free electron gas g 2 2 1/ 2

3D

Energy (m is the electron mass): 2

n g f d
N
The number of electron per unit volume:
V 0
1, EF
At T = 0, all the states up to = EF are filled, at > EF empty: f
0, EF
EF 3 / 2 EF 3/ 2
1 2m 1 2m
n g f d g d 2 2 d 2 2 EF 3 / 2
0 0
2 0
3
2/3
T>0
EF
2
2m
3 n
2 2/3 h2 3
n
8m
the Fermi energy ( of an
ideal Fermi gas at T=0)
= EF

EF
h2 3


n
2/3

6.6 10 110
34 2
29 2 / 3
J 110 18 J 6 eV
8m
31
8 9 10
- at room temperature, this
TF EF / k B few eV few 10 K 4
Fermi gas is strongly
degenerate (EF >> kBT).

The total energy of all F

U 0 g d NEF
3
electrons in the conduction
5 g 1/ 2
band (per unit volume): 0

- a very appreciable zero-point energy!

 The Fermi Gas of Nucleons in a Nucleus
Lets apply these results to the system of nucleons in a large nucleus (both protons
and neutrons are fermions). In heavy elements, the number of nucleons in the
nucleus is large and statistical treatment is a reasonable approximation. We need to
estimate the density of protons/neutrons in the nucleus. The radius of the nucleus that
contains A nucleons:

R 1.3 1015 m A1/ 3
A
Thus, the density of nucleons is: n 1 10 44 m-3
4
3

1.3 10 15 m A
3

For simplicity, we assume that the # of protons = the # of neutrons, hence their
density is
n p nn 0.5 1044 m-3

The Fermi energy EF

6.6 10
34 2
3
0.5 10 44

2/3

J 4.3 10 12 J 27 MeV
8 1.6 10 27
EF >>> kBT the system is strongly degenerate. The nucleons are very cold they
are all in their ground state!
The average kinetic energy in a degenerate Fermi gas = 0.6 of the Fermi energy

E 16 MeV - the nucleons are non-relativistic

 The Fermi Momentum
1/ 3
p h 3
The electrons at the Fermi level are moving at vF F n 1106 m/s
a very high velocity, the Fermi velocity: m 2m
This velocity is of the same order of magnitude as the orbital velocity of the outer
electrons in an atom, and ~10 times the mean thermal velocity that a non-degenerate
electron gas would have at room temperature. Still, since vF<<c, we can treat the mobile
electrons as non-relativistic particles.
1/ 3
h 3
The corresponding momentum: pF 2mEF n the Fermi momentum
2
Naturally, the entropy of Fermi gas is zero at T=0 we are dealing with a single state
that can undergo no further ordering process.
What happens as we raise T, but keep kBT<<EF so that EF? = EF
~ kBT
Empty states are available only above
(or within ~ kBT ) of the Fermi energy,
occupancy

thus a very small fraction of electrons

can be accelerated by an electric field
and participate in the current flow.
T=0 The electrons with energies < EF -
g 1/ 2
(few) kBT cannot interact with anything
unless this excitation is capable of
(with respect to EF) raising them all the way to the Fermi energy.
 Problem (Final 2005)
When the copper atoms form a crystal lattice with the density of atoms of 8.51028 m-3,
each atom donates 1 electron in the conduction band.
(a) Assuming that the effective mass of the conduction electrons is the same as the
free electron mass, calculate the Fermi energy. Express your answer in eV.

EF
h 2 3N



2/3

6.6 10
34 2
3
8.5 10 28

2/3

1.110 18 J 6.7 eV
8m V 8 9.110 31
(b) The electrons participate in the current flow if their energies correspond to the
occupancy n() that is not too close to 1 (no empty states available for the
accelerated electrons) and not too small (no electrons to accelerate). At T=300K,
calculate the energy interval that is occupied by the electrons that participate in the
current flow, assuming that for these electrons the occupancy varies between 0.1
and 0.9.

EF
n
1 1
0.9 exp 1 9 1 EF k BT ln 9
EF EF k BT
exp 1 exp 1 1
k BT k BT
1 EF 1
0.1 exp 2 2 EF k BT ln 9
2kBT ln 9 0.11 eV 2 EF B k T 9
exp 1
k BT
 Problem (Final 2005, cont.)
(b)
(c) Using the assumptions of (b), calculate the ratio N1/N0 where N1 is the number of
current-carrying electrons, N0 is the total number of electrons in the conduction
band. Assume that within the range where the occupancy varies between 0.1 and
0.9, the occupancy varies linearly with energy (see the Figure), and the density of
states is almost energy-independent. The density of states for the three-
dimensional Fermi gas:

occupancy
g
3N
3/ 2

2 EF

- EF
E F / 2
3
n g d
3N
N1 3/ 2
EF 0.5 N N 0.012
E F / 2 2 EF 4 EF

Thus, at T=300K, the ratio of the current-carrying electrons to all electrons in the
conduction is 0.012 or 1.2 %.
 The Heat Capacity of a Cold Fermi Gas
One of the greatest successes of the free electron model and FD statistics is the
explanation of the T dependence of the heat capacity of a metal.
So far, we have been dealing with the Fermi gas at T =
0. To calculate the heat capacity, we need to know how
the internal energy of the Fermi gas, U(T), depends on
the temperature. Firstly, lets predict the result
qualitatively.
By heating a Fermi gas, we populate some states
above the Fermi energy EF and deplete some states
below EF. This modification is significant within a
narrow energy range ~ kBT around EF (we assume that
kBT the system is cold - strong degeneracy).

The fraction of electrons that we transfer to higher energies ~ kBT/EF, the energy
increase for these electrons ~ kBT. Thus, the increase of the internal energy with
temperature is proportional to N(kBT/EF) (kBT) ~ N (kBT)2 /EF.

U T k B2T k T 3
CV N is much smaller (by B 1) than CV Nk B for an ideal gas
T V EF EF 2
The Fermi gas heat capacity is much smaller than that of a classical ideal gas with the
same energy and pressure. This is because only a small fraction kBT/EF of the electrons
are excited out of the ground state. As required by the Third Law, the electronic heat
capacity in metals goes to 0 at T 0.
 The Heat Capacity of a Cold Fermi Gas (cont.)

A bit more quantitative approach: the difference
in energy between the gas at a finite temperature U T g f , T d U0
0
and the gas in the ground state (T = 0):

occupancy
When we consider the energies very close to ~ EF,
we will ignore the variation in the density of states, and
evaluate the integral with g() g(EF). The density of
states at the Fermi level is one of the most important
properties of a metal, since it determines the number
of states available to the electrons which can change
their state under weak excitations. with respect to EF
So long as kBT << EF, the distribution function f() is symmetric about EF. By heating up a
metal, we take a group of electrons at the energy - (with respect to EF), and lift them
up to . The number of electrons in this group g(EF)f()d and each electron has
increased its energy by 2 :
U U 0 2 g EF f , T d
- the lower limit is 0,

0
we integrate from EF

2 2
U U 0 2 g EF d 2k BT g EF kBT 2 g EF
x
dx
2

0
exp 1 0
exp x 1 12 6

dU T 2 2
3/ 2
1 2m k BT
g E F 2 2
3 n
g EF k B2T Ce
1/ 2
Ce EF Nk B
dT 3 2 2 EF 2 EF
- much less than the equipartition C. The small heat capacity is a direct consequence
of the Pauli principle: most of the electrons cannot change their energy.
 Experimental Results

At low temperatures, the heat capacity of metals can be represented as the sum of
two terms:
CV K1T K 2T3

due to electrons due to phonons

At T < 10 K, this linear (electronic) term dominates in the total heat capacity of
metals: the other term due to lattice vibrations dies out at T 0 faster, as T 3.
 Pressure of the Fermi Gas
The internal energy and pressure of an ideal F
U 0 N ,V g d N EF
3
gas goes to 0 as T0. This is not the case
for a degenerate Fermi gas ! 0
5
2/3
2 2 N 3 2 N 2 N
2/3
On the other hand, EF 3 and U0 3 A N 5 / 3V 2 / 3
2m V 10 m V
At T=0, there is no distinction between the free energy F and the internal energy U0:

U 0
2/3

P

2 5 / 3 3 2 N 2 N
V 3
1 2n
2
3 2 n n EF
2/3

V N 3 10 m V 5 m 5
2/3 - it looks just as for an ideal gas. This is a
1 h2 3 2
P n 5/3
or PV U 0 direct consequence of the quadratic
20 m 3 relation between energy and momentum.
However, this is a non-zero pressure at T = 0, which does not depend on T at T << EF.
2
Lets estimate this pressure for a typical metal: P nEF 10 29 m-3 5 10 19 J 5 1010 Pa
5
In metals, this enormous pressure is counteracted by the Coulomb attraction of the
electrons to the positive ions.
When an electron is confined in a very small space, it "flies about its tiny cell at high
speed, kicking with great force against adjacent electrons in their cells. This degenerate
motion ... cannot be stopped by cooling the matter. Nothing can stop it; it is forced on the
electron by the laws of quantum mechanics, even when the matter is at absolute zero
temperature" (Thorne 1994).
 Fermi Pressure in the Universe
2/3 - scales with the density as n5/3 provided that the electrons
3
2
1 h
Pnon rel n5 / 3 remain non-relativistic (speeds v << c). In a white dwarf
20 m or a neutron star, this approximation breaks down.

For the relativistic degenerate matter, the equation of state is softer Prel n 4 / 3
k3
The number of electrons per unit volume with k<kF: G k
2
P n EF
5 3 2
At T=0, all the states up to kF are occupied: n Gk F
k F3
n 2
3

k F 3 2 n
1/ 3

E pc ck EF c 3 n 2 1/ 3
In the ultra-relativistic case

The relativistic and non-relativistic

expressions for electron degeneracy pressure
are equal at about that ne =1036 m-3, about
that of the core of a 0.3 M white dwarf.

As long as the star is not too massive, the Fermi

pressure prevents it from collapsing under gravity
and becoming a black hole.
How stars can support themselves against gravity: Star Evolution
gas and radiation pressure supports stars in which
thermonuclear reactions occur
pressure of a degenerate electron gas at high densities
supports the objects with no fusion: dead stars (white
dwarfs) and the cores of giant planets (Jupiter, Saturn)
pressure of a degenerate neutron gas at high densities support
neutron stars
 By combining the ideas of relativity and
quantum mechanics, Chandrasekhar White dwarfs
made important contributions to our
understanding of the star evolution.

Nobel 1983 The Fermi pressure of a degenerate electron gas prevents the gravitational
collapse of the star if the star is not too massive (the white dwarf).

An estimate the upper limit of the white dwarfs mass (the Chandrasekhar mass):

M M 3
Total number of electrons in the star ~ the number of protons: Ne ne
mp m p 4R3
GM 2
Total potential (gravitational) energy of the star: U g C g Cg ~ 1 proton mass
R
Kin. energy of the Fermi gas of electrons (relativistic case): -Ug

energy
1/ 3
M 2 M 3
K
c M 4 / 3
K C F N e EF C F c 3 4/3
m p m p 4R 3 mp R

If M<MCh, the Fermi pressure is sufficient to prevent the collapse. MCh M

3/ 2
c M Ch
4/3
GM 2 c
~ Ch
M Ch 4/3 ~ 2.5 1030 kg 1.25M
mp
4/3
R R m G
p
(more accurately 1.4 M)
 Neutron Stars [ M=(1.4-3)M ]
For a dead star more massive than 1.4 MSun, the electron degeneracy pressure
cannot prevent the gravitational collapse. During the collapse an extra energy
liberated is sufficient to drive a nuclear reaction:

If the mass is not too high (<3 MSun), the further contraction is stopped by the
degeneracy pressure of neutrons (otherwise black hole).
By knowing the parameters of neutron stars, we can explain why these stars are made
of neutrons. A typical neutron star has a mass like the Sun (MSun = 2 1033 g), but a
much smaller radius R ~10 km. The average density is M
density 4.8 1017 kg/m 3
R 3
4
3
about three times nuclear density. In terms of the concentration of neutrons, this
corresponds to n = 3 1044 m-3. Let the star be made, instead of neutrons, of protons
and electrons, each with the concentration n ~ 3 1044 m-3, the # of protons = the # of
electrons (the star is electrically neutral). The mass difference between a proton and a
neutron is greater than the mass of an electron:
M nc 2 M p c 2 mec 2 (940 MeV - 938 MeV 0.5 MeV)
so this configuration would seem to be energetically favored over the neutron
configuration. However, lets look at the Fermi energies of the protons and electrons in
this hypothetical star. The proton EF would be very nearly the same as that for the
neutrons above (because the concentration would be the same and the mass is nearly
the same). On the other hand, the electron EF would be larger by the ratio Mn/me ~1838,
so the electron EF would be ~160,000 MeV, enough to make about 170 nucleons!