The Coulomb force and the various thermodynamic phases of simple metals

Journal Article · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1990 · International Journal of Modern Physics B; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1142/S0217979290000024· OSTI ID:5125849

Mattis, D C ^[1]

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1. Dept. of Physics, Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (US)

With just two-body Coulomb interactions between electrons being taken into account, the phase diagram of a simple metal includes the following phases at least: the ordinary paramagnetic Fermi liquid, itinerast ferromagnetism, a charge-density wave phase and an antiferromagnetic phase (either of which can be insulating), and surprisingly a superconducting phase. This paper surveys the physics of the Coulomb interactions in metals, and the diverse roles played by the zero-range Hubbard interaction U{sub 0} and the long-range Coulomb interactions denoted {Delta}V(q). Screening of the latter by the currents in the metal is treated in some detail. This paper is intended as an introduction into an important area of solid-state physics. A number of novel ideas are proposed, but are clearly identified as such. For example: although V(q) = U{sub 0} + {delta}V(q) is required to be positive at all q, v(q) = (1/2)U{sub 0} + {Delta}V(q) is not. The authors show that if v(q) {lt} 0 in a given phase, that phase is unstable (regardless of band structure, etc.) The authors also find that the Coulomb repulsion between electrons in a given band is somewhat stronger than that between holes.

• OSTI ID: 5125849
• Journal Information: International Journal of Modern Physics B; (United States), Journal Name: International Journal of Modern Physics B; (United States) Vol. 4:1; ISSN 0217-9792; ISSN IJPBE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360104* -- Metals & Alloys-- Physical Properties
656100 -- Condensed Matter Physics-- Superconductivity
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ANTIFERROMAGNETISM
COULOMB FIELD
DIAGRAMS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTS
FERMI GAS
FERROMAGNETISM
FLUIDS
GASES
HIGH-TC SUPERCONDUCTORS
MAGNETISM
MANY-BODY PROBLEM
METALS
PHASE DIAGRAMS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY
SUPERCONDUCTORS
THERMODYNAMICS
TWO-BODY PROBLEM