STATISTICAL MECHANICS OF THE ELECTRON-PHOTON GAS
A system of charged particles in a radiation field in thermodynamic equilibrium is investigated by means of the linked-cluster expansion method developed by Bloch and DeDominicis. Results are given for the high temperature- low density approximation. Analysis of the lower order perturbation expansion terms shows that the lowest order correction to the perfect gas law is of order e/ sup 2/, where e is the particle charge. In the high temperaturelow density approximation, two types (I and II) of electronphoton ring diagrams are found to be relevant in addition to the ordinary Coulomb ring diagrams. The electron- photon ring diagrams of type II, however, give a divergent result for small momentum transfer between electrons and photons. It is shown that this divergence may be removed by the use of dressed photon propagators corresponding to electron- bubble''-type self-energy diagrams. Then the electron-photon ring diagrams give a finite contribution to the thermodynamic potential. The dressed photon propagator leads to a new photon density function (also obtained by Osborn and Klevans) and furthermore gives a clear physical picture of the interaction. Finally it is shown that there is no correction to the thermodynamic potential of order e/sup 4/ at high temperature and low densities. Fifth-order corrections to the thermodynamic potential, which give radiative corrections to the Coulomb ring diagrams, are investigated. The radiative corrections to the Coulomb ring diagrams using free photon propagators lead to divergent terms, which, however, cancel each other in this approximation. These divergences are also removed by use of the dressed photon propagator. (Dissertation Abstr.)
- Research Organization:
- Originating Research Org. not identified
- NSA Number:
- NSA-17-026247
- OSTI ID:
- 4695675
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis. Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-63
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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