Ideal-gas Bose condensation
For a uniform three-dimensional ideal gas of spinless bosons in the thermodynamic limit, the excited-state capacity reaches n=ζ(3/2)(mk_BT/(2πħ²))³ᐟ² at T_c.
Key knowledge
For a uniform three-dimensional ideal gas of spinless bosons in the thermodynamic limit, the excited-state capacity reaches n=ζ(3/2)(mk_BT/(2πħ²))³ᐟ² at T_c. Below T_c the ground-state fraction is N₀/N=1−(T/T_c)³ᐟ².
Values and equations
T_c=(2πħ²/(mk_B))[n/ζ(3/2)]²ᐟ³; N₀/N=1−(T/T_c)³ᐟ² for T<T_c
- T,T_c
- Temperature and critical temperature K
- ħ
- Reduced Planck constant J s
- m
- Particle mass kg
- k_B
- Boltzmann constant J K⁻¹
- n
- Particle number density m⁻³
- N,N₀
- Total/ground-state particle counts
- ζ(3/2)
- Riemann zeta value
Conditions and scope
- Noninteracting nonrelativistic bosons with parabolic dispersion, fixed density, large homogeneous volume and ground energy set to zero.
- Trapping, interactions, finite size and lower dimensionality change the threshold or existence of this thermodynamic-limit condensation. Condensation and superfluidity are distinct.
Sources · 1
References
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Evidence and review
Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics (2016): Bose–Einstein condensation: Equations 8.222–8.243: ground state separated from energy-density integral, excited capacity and condensate fraction; narrows weak-interaction wording to ideal-gas result.
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