20 Problems and Solutions in Atomic, Nuclear and Particle Physics
Hence the expectation value of the z component of angular momentum is
zero for all the three energy levels.
1013
The Thomas-Fermi model of atoms describes the electron cloud in an
atom as a continuous distribution ρ(x) of charge. An individual electron is
assumed to move in the potential determined by the nucleus of charge Ze
and of this cloud. Derive the equation for the electrostatic potential in the
following stages.
(a) By assuming the charge cloud adjusts itself locally until the electrons
at Fermi sphere have zero energy, find a relation between the potential φ
and the Fermi momentum pF .
(b) Use the relation derived in (a) to obtain an algebraic relation be-
tween the charge density ρ(x) and the potential φ(x).
(c) Insert the result of (b) in Poisson’s equation to obtain a nonlinear
partial differential equation for φ.
(Princeton)
Solution:
2
p
(a) For a bound electron, its energy E = 2m − eφ(x) must be lower than
that of an electron on the Fermi surface. Thus
p2max
− eφ(x) = 0 ,
2m
where pmax = pf , the Fermi momentum.
Hence
p2f = 2meφ(x) .
(b) Consider the electrons as a Fermi gas. The number of electrons
filling all states with momenta 0 to pf is
V p3f
N= .
3π 2 3
The charge density is then
eN ep3f e 3
ρ(x) = = 2 3 = [2meφ(x)] 2 .
V 3π 3π 2 3
Atomic and Molecular Physics 21
(c) Substituting ρ(x) in Poisson’s equation
∇2 φ = 4πρ(x)
gives
∂2 ∂2 ∂2 4e 3
+ + φ(x) = [2meφ(x)] 2 .
∂x2 ∂y 2 ∂z 2 3π 3
On the assumption that φ is spherically symmetric, the equation re-
duces to
1 d2 4e 3
[rφ(r)] = [2meφ(r)] 2 .
r dr2 3π3
1014
In a crude picture, a metal is viewed as a system of free electrons en-
closed in a well of potential difference V0 . Due to thermal agitation, elec-
trons with sufficiently high energies will escape from the well. Find and
discuss the emission current density for this model.
(SUNY, Buffalo)
Fig. 1.5
Solution:
The number of states in volume element dpx dpy dpz in the momentum
space is dN = h23 dpx dpy dpz . Each state ε has degeneracy exp(− ε−µ kT ),
where ε is the energy of the electron and µ is the Fermi energy.
Only electrons with momentum component pz > (2mV0 )1/2 can escape
from the potential well, the z-axis being selected parallel to the outward
