Lecture 22. Ideal Bose and Fermi gas (Ch.

7)
 N ( ) − E ( )  N ( ) − E ( ) 
Gibbs factor exp  Z =  exp  
 k BT    k BT 

the grand partition function Z =  Z i Zi   exp − ni ( i −  ) 

of ideal quantum gas: i ni  kBT 

fermions: ni = 0 or 1 bosons: ni = 0, 1, 2, .....

Outline
1. Fermi-Dirac statistics (of fermions)
2. Bose-Einstein statistics (of bosons)
3. Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics
4. Comparison of FD, BE and MB.
 The Partition Function of an Ideal Fermi Gas
The grand partition function for all particles in the ith
single-particle state (the sum is taken over all possible
values of ni) :
 ni ( −  i )
Z i =  exp 
ni  k BT 
If the particles are fermions,   − i 
n can only be 0 or 1: Z i
FD
= 1 + exp 
 k BT 
Putting all the levels    −  i 
together, the full partition Z FD =  1 + exp 
function is given by: i   k BT  
 Fermi-Dirac Distribution
The probability of a state to be occupied by a fermion:
 ni ( −  i )
P( i , ni ) = exp 
1
 ni = 0, 1
Zi  k BT 
The mean number of fermions in a particular state:
1  
ni =
 Zi 
Zi =
1
1 + exp   (  −  i ) 

1 + exp   (  −  i ) 
exp   (  −  i ) 1
= =
1 + exp   (  −  i ) exp   ( i −  ) + 1

Fermi-Dirac distribution
nFD ( ) =
1
( is determined by T  − 
and the particle density)
exp  + 1
 k BT 
 Fermi-Dirac Distribution

At T = 0, all the states with  <  1

have the occupancy = 1, all the ~ kBT

states with  >  have the
occupancy = 0 (i.e., they are T=0
0
unoccupied). With increasing T, the
step-like function is “smeared” over (with respect to ) =
the energy range ~ kBT.
The macrostate of such system is completely defined if we
know the mean occupancy for all energy levels, which is

f (E )  n (E )
often called the distribution function:

While f(E) is often less than unity, it is not a probability:

 f (E ) = n n=N/V – the average

i density of particles
 The Partition Function of an Ideal Bose Gas
The grand partition function for all particles in the ith
single-particle state (the sum is taken over all possible
values of ni) :  ni (  −  i ) 
Zi =  exp  
ni  k BT 
If the particles are Bosons, n can be any #, i.e. 0, 1, 2, …

 ni (  −  i )   (  − i )   2 (  − i ) 
Zi =  exp   = 1 + exp   + exp  +
ni = 0  k BT   k BT   k BT 
−1

 + + 2
+ =
1     − i 
 If x 1, 1 x x
1 − x  Zi BE
= 1 − exp  
  k BT 
−1
Putting all the levels    − i 
together, the full partition Z BE =  1 − exp     min ( i )
function is given by: i   k BT 
 Bose-Einstein Distribution
The probability of a state to be occupied by a Boson:
1  ni (  −  i ) 
P ( i , ni ) = exp   ni = 0,1,2,
Zi  k BT 
The mean number of Bosons in a particular state:
    −  i  
1 − exp   (  −  i )
1 −1
ni = Z i = 1 − exp  
Z i  (  )   k BT    (  )
   −  i   exp   (  −  i ) 1
= 1 − exp   =
 
 k BT   1 − exp   (  −  i )
2
exp   ( i −  ) − 1
  min ( )
Bose-Einstein distribution
1 The mean number of particles in a
nBE ( ) =
 −  given state for the BEG can exceed
exp   − 1 unity, it diverges as  → min().
 k BT 
 Comparison of FD and BE Distributions
2
nFD ( ) =
1
BE  − 
exp  + 1
<n>

1
 k BT 
FD
1
n n nBE ( ) =
 − 
exp   −1
0
-6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6  k BT 
(−)/kBT
1
 −  − 
1, exp  nFD ( )  nBE ( ) 
when  1
 − 
k BT  B 
k T exp  
 B 
k T
1
Maxwell-Boltzmann nMB ( ) =
distribution:  − 
exp  
 B 
k T
 Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution (ideal gas model)
Recall the Boltzmann distribution (ch.6) derived from canonical ensemble:
 2 mk BT 
3/ 2
V 1 N   V  
Z1 = V   = Z= Z1 F = −k BT ln Z = − Nk BT ln   + 1
 h
2
 VQ N! 
  NVQ  
 F   V  1 N N
 =  = −k BT ln   = ln    = exp (  )
 N T ,V  NVQ    Z1  Z1
The mean number of particles in a particular state of N particles in
volume V:
N
nMB ( ) = N  P ( ) = exp ( −  ) = exp (  ) exp ( −  ) = exp  −  ( −  )
Z1
Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution   −
MB is the low density limit where the nMB ( ) = exp  − 
difference between FD and BE disappears.  k B T 

nVQ 1 ( i.e. N Z1 1 and   0 ) nVQ  1

 Comparison of FD, BE and MB Distribution
2
nFD ( ) =
1
MB BE  − 
exp  + 1
 k BT 
<n>

1 1
FD nBE ( ) =
 − 
n n exp   −1
 k BT 
0   −
-6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 nMB ( ) = exp  − 
(−)/kBT  k B T 

what are the possible values of MB , FD , and BE ? ( assume   0 )
 MB  0 FD   F (  0 ) BE  min ( ) = 0
 Comparison of FD, BE and MB Distribution
(at low density limit)
1.0
 = - kBT The difference between FD, BE
and MB gets smaller when  gets
MB
<n>

FD
0.5 BE more negative.

i.e., when  0, nFD  nBE  nMB

0.0
0 1 2 3
/kBT
0.2 MB is the low density limit where
 = - 2kBT MB the difference between FD and BE
FD
BE
disappears.
<n>

0.1
nVQ 1 ( i.e. N Z1 1)
0.0
0 1 2 3
/kBT
 Comparison between Distributions
Bose Fermi
Boltzmann
Einstein Dirac
1 1 1
nk = nk = nk =
 −   −   − 
exp  exp  − 1 exp  + 1
 k BT   k BT   k BT 
indistinguishable indistinguishable indistinguishable
Z=(Z1)N/N! integer spin 0,1,2 … half-integer spin 1/2,3/2,5/2 …
nK<<1

spin doesn’t matter bosons fermions

localized particles wavefunctions overlap wavefunctions overlap

 don’t overlap total  symmetric total  anti-symmetric

gas molecules photons free electrons in metals

at low densities 4Heatoms electrons in white dwarfs

“unlimited” number of unlimited number of never more than 1

particles per state particles per state particle per state
nK<<1
 “The Course Summary”
Ensemble Macrostate Probability Thermodynamics

micro- U, V, N
Pn =
1 S (U , V , N ) = k B ln 
canonical (T fluctuates) 
En
canonical T, V, N 1 − kB T
Pn = e F (T , V , N ) = −k B T ln Z
(U fluctuates) Z
( En −  N n )
T, V,  1 −
grand Pn = e  (T , V ,  ) = −k B T ln Z
kB T
canonical (N, U fluctuate) Z

The grand potential   − k BT ln Z (the Landau free energy) is a generalization

of F=-kBT lnZ

- the appearance of μ as a variable, while

d = − SdT − PdV − Nd computationally very convenient for the grand canonical
ensemble, is not natural. Thermodynamic properties of
systems are eventually measured with a given density of particles. However, in the
grand canonical ensemble, quantities like pressure or N are given as functions of the
“natural” variables T,V and μ. Thus, we need to use ( /  )T ,V = − N to eliminate μ
in terms of T and n=N/V.