© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

Terms Privacy Legal Notice

Proceedings of the Royal Society of London A Mathematical and Physical Sciences

On the Bose-Einstein condensation

S.R. DE GROOT, G.J. Hooyman, Cornelis A. Ten Seldam

Published Sep 22, 1950• 138 citations

Abstract

Abstract The Bose-Einstein condensation of a gas is investigated. Starting from the well-known formulae for Bose statistics, the problem has been generalized to include a variety of potential fields in which the particles of the gas move, and the number w of dimensions has not been restricted to three. The energy levels are taken to be εi≡εs1,....,s10=constanth2ms1α−1a12+...+swαaw2(1≤α≤2) the quantum numbers being s1 ,w= 1, 2, ..., and a1, ..., aw being certain characteristic lengths. (For α = 2, the potential field is that of the w-dimensional rectangular box; for α = 1, we obtain the w-dimensional harmonic oscillator field.) A direct rigorous method is used similar to that proposed by Fowler & Jones (1938). It is shown that the number q = w/α determines the appearance of an Einstein transition temperature T0·For q≤ 1 there is no such point, while for q > 1 a transition point exists. For 1 < q≤ 2, the mean energy ϵ- per particle and the specific heat dϵ-/dT are continuous at T = T0· For q > 2, the specific heat is discontinuous at T = T0, giving rise to a A λ-point. A well-defined transition point only appears for a very large (theoretically infinite) number N of particles. T0 is finite only if the quantity v = N/(a1 .... aw)2/ α¯is finite. For a rectangular box, v is equal to the mean density of the gas. If v tends to zero or infinity as N→ ∞, then T0 likewise tends to zero or infinity. In the case q > 1, and at temperatures T < T 0' there is a finite fraction N0 /N of the particles, given by N 0/N = 1-(T/T0)q, in the lowest state. London’s formula (1938 b) for the three-dimensional box is an example of this equation. Some further results are also compared with those given by London’s continuous spectrum approximation.

DOI: 10.1098/rspa.1950.0139

Related papers

The properties of a perfect Einstein-Bose gas at low temperatures

R. H. Fowler, Hilary D. Jones

In a recent letter to Nature F. London(3) has called attention to a discontinuity in the derivative dCV/dT of the specific heat with respect to temperature which arises in a perfect Einstein-Bose gas at low temperatures. When discussing the properties of a perfect gas satisfying the Bose statistics, Einstein(1) remarked that at low temperatures something resembling a condensed phase should appear. The temperature at which this condensation should begin is given by the equation where n is the number of particles of mass m per unit volume and the other symbols have their usual significance.

Mathematical Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society•Oct 1, 1938•21 citations

λ-Transition to the Bose-Einstein Condensate

Siegfried Großmann, Martin Holthaus

Abstract We study Bose-Einstein condensation of comparatively small numbers of atoms trapped by a three-dimensional harmonic oscillator potential. Under the assumption that grand canonical statistics applies, we derive analytical expressions for the condensation temperature, the ground state occupation, and the specific heat capacity. For a gas of TV atoms the condensation temperature is proportional to N1/3, apart from a downward shift of order N-1/3. A signature of the condensation is a pronounced peak of the heat capacity. For not too small N the heat capacity is nearly discontinuous at the onset of condensation; the magnitude of the jump is about 6.6 N k. Our continuum approximations are derived with the help of the proper density of states which allows us to calculate finite-AT-corrections, and checked against numerical computations.

Zeitschrift für Naturforschung A•Oct 1, 1995•87 citations

Bose-Einstein statistics for a finite number of particles

Pedro Pessoa

This paper presents a study of the grand canonical Bose-Einstein (BE) statistics for a finite number of particles in an arbitrary quantum system. The thermodynamical quantities that identify BE condensation---namely, the fraction of particles in the ground state and the specific heat---are calculated here exactly in terms of temperature and fugacity. These calculations are complemented by a numerical calculation of fugacity in terms of the number of particles, without taking the thermodynamic limit. The main advantage of this approach is that it does not rely on approximations made in the vicinity of the usually defined critical temperature, rather it makes calculations with arbitrary precision possible, irrespective of temperature. Graphs for the calculated thermodynamical quantities are presented in comparison to the results previously obtained in the thermodynamic limit. In particular, it is observed that for the gas trapped in a three-dimensional box, the derivative of specific heat reaches smaller values than what was expected in the thermodynamic limit---here, this result is also verified with analytical calculations. This is an important result for understanding the role of the thermodynamic limit in phase transitions and makes possible to further study BE statistics without relying neither on the thermodynamic limit nor on approximations near critical temperature.

arXiv:2110.02890•Physical Review A•Oct 25, 2021•4 citations

Bose-Einstein condensation in anisotropic harmonic traps

Tor Haugset, Hårek Haugerud, Jens O. Andersen

We study the thermodynamic behavior of an ideal gas of bosons trapped in a three-dimensional anisotropic harmonic-oscillator potential. The condensate fraction as well as the specific heat is calculated using the Euler-Maclaurin approximation. For a finite number of particles there is no phase transition, but there is a well-defined temperature at which the condensation starts. We also consider condensation in lower dimensions, and, for one-dimensional systems, we discuss the dependence of the condensate fraction and heat capacity on the ensemble used.

arXiv:cond-mat/9611061•Physical Review A•Apr 1, 1997•61 citations

Numerical analysis of Bose–Einstein condensation in a three-dimensional harmonic oscillator potential

Martin Ligare

Bose–Einstein condensation is the anomalous accumulation of particles in the ground state of a system of bosons, when compared with the population in a system of particles obeying classical statistics. I use undergraduate-level statistical mechanics and a symbolic algebra computer program to study the occupation numbers of the energy levels of a finite number of noninteracting particles confined in a three-dimensional harmonic oscillator potential. I also calculate the heat capacity of the gas. The harmonic oscillator potential simplifies the calculations and approximates the conditions of the recent experiments achieving Bose–Einstein condensation in laser-cooled alkali vapors.

American Journal of Physics•Mar 1, 1998•26 citations

Thermodynamics of the noninteracting Bose gas in a two-dimensional box

Heqiu Li, Qiujiang Guo, Ji Jiang +1 more

Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) of a noninteracting Bose gas of N particles in a two-dimensional box with Dirichlet boundary conditions is studied. Confirming previous work, we find that BEC occurs at finite N at low temperatures T without the occurrence of a phase transition. The conventionally-defined transition temperature T(E) for an infinite three-dimensional (3D) system is shown to correspond in a 2D system with finite N to a crossover temperature between a slow and rapid increase in the fractional boson occupation N(0)/N of the ground state with decreasing T. We further show that T(E)∼1/logN at fixed area per boson, so in the thermodynamic limit there is no significant BEC in 2D at finite T. Thus, paradoxically, BEC only occurs in 2D at finite N with no phase transition associated with it. Calculations of thermodynamic properties versus T and area A are presented, including Helmholtz free energy, entropy S, pressure p, ratio of p to the energy density U/A, heat capacity at constant volume (area) C(V) and at constant pressure C(p), isothermal compressibility κ(T) and thermal expansion coefficient α(p), obtained using both the grand-canonical ensemble (GCE) and canonical ensemble (CE) formalisms. The GCE formalism gives acceptable predictions for S, p, p/(U/A), κ(T) and α(p) at large N, T and A but fails for smaller values of these three parameters for which BEC becomes significant, whereas the CE formalism gives accurate results for all thermodynamic properties of finite systems even at low T and/or A where BEC occurs.

arXiv:1508.07656•Physical Review E•Dec 4, 2015•6 citations

Abstract The Bose-Einstein condensation of a gas is investigated. Starting from the well-known formulae for Bose statistics, the problem has been generalized to include a variety of potential fields in which the particles of the gas move, and the number w of dimensions has not been restricted to three. The energy levels are taken to be εi≡εs1,....,s10=constanth2ms1α−1a12+...+swαaw2(1≤α≤2) the quantum numbers being s1 ,w= 1, 2, ..., and a1, ..., aw being certain characteristic lengths. (For α = 2, the potential field is that of the w-dimensional rectangular box; for α = 1, we obtain the w-dimensional harmonic oscillator field.) A direct rigorous method is used similar to that proposed by Fowler & Jones (1938). It is shown that the number q = w/α determines the appearance of an Einstein transition temperature T0·For q≤ 1 there is no such point, while for q > 1 a transition point exists. For 1 < q≤ 2, the mean energy ϵ- per particle and the specific heat dϵ-/dT are continuous at T = T0· For q > 2, the specific heat is discontinuous at T = T0, giving rise to a A λ-point. A well-defined transition point only appears for a very large (theoretically infinite) number N of particles. T0 is finite only if the quantity v = N/(a1 .... aw)2/ α¯is finite. For a rectangular box, v is equal to the mean density of the gas. If v tends to zero or infinity as N→ ∞, then T0 likewise tends to zero or infinity. In the case q > 1, and at temperatures T < T 0' there is a finite fraction N0 /N of the particles, given by N 0/N = 1-(T/T0)q, in the lowest state. London’s formula (1938 b) for the three-dimensional box is an example of this equation. Some further results are also compared with those given by London’s continuous spectrum approximation.

In a recent letter to Nature F. London(3) has called attention to a discontinuity in the derivative dCV/dT of the specific heat with respect to temperature which arises in a perfect Einstein-Bose gas at low temperatures. When discussing the properties of a perfect gas satisfying the Bose statistics, Einstein(1) remarked that at low temperatures something resembling a condensed phase should appear. The temperature at which this condensation should begin is given by the equation where n is the number of particles of mass m per unit volume and the other symbols have their usual significance.

Abstract We study Bose-Einstein condensation of comparatively small numbers of atoms trapped by a three-dimensional harmonic oscillator potential. Under the assumption that grand canonical statistics applies, we derive analytical expressions for the condensation temperature, the ground state occupation, and the specific heat capacity. For a gas of TV atoms the condensation temperature is proportional to N1/3, apart from a downward shift of order N-1/3. A signature of the condensation is a pronounced peak of the heat capacity. For not too small N the heat capacity is nearly discontinuous at the onset of condensation; the magnitude of the jump is about 6.6 N k. Our continuum approximations are derived with the help of the proper density of states which allows us to calculate finite-AT-corrections, and checked against numerical computations.

This paper presents a study of the grand canonical Bose-Einstein (BE) statistics for a finite number of particles in an arbitrary quantum system. The thermodynamical quantities that identify BE condensation---namely, the fraction of particles in the ground state and the specific heat---are calculated here exactly in terms of temperature and fugacity. These calculations are complemented by a numerical calculation of fugacity in terms of the number of particles, without taking the thermodynamic limit. The main advantage of this approach is that it does not rely on approximations made in the vicinity of the usually defined critical temperature, rather it makes calculations with arbitrary precision possible, irrespective of temperature. Graphs for the calculated thermodynamical quantities are presented in comparison to the results previously obtained in the thermodynamic limit. In particular, it is observed that for the gas trapped in a three-dimensional box, the derivative of specific heat reaches smaller values than what was expected in the thermodynamic limit---here, this result is also verified with analytical calculations. This is an important result for understanding the role of the thermodynamic limit in phase transitions and makes possible to further study BE statistics without relying neither on the thermodynamic limit nor on approximations near critical temperature.

We study the thermodynamic behavior of an ideal gas of bosons trapped in a three-dimensional anisotropic harmonic-oscillator potential. The condensate fraction as well as the specific heat is calculated using the Euler-Maclaurin approximation. For a finite number of particles there is no phase transition, but there is a well-defined temperature at which the condensation starts. We also consider condensation in lower dimensions, and, for one-dimensional systems, we discuss the dependence of the condensate fraction and heat capacity on the ensemble used.

Bose–Einstein condensation is the anomalous accumulation of particles in the ground state of a system of bosons, when compared with the population in a system of particles obeying classical statistics. I use undergraduate-level statistical mechanics and a symbolic algebra computer program to study the occupation numbers of the energy levels of a finite number of noninteracting particles confined in a three-dimensional harmonic oscillator potential. I also calculate the heat capacity of the gas. The harmonic oscillator potential simplifies the calculations and approximates the conditions of the recent experiments achieving Bose–Einstein condensation in laser-cooled alkali vapors.

Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) of a noninteracting Bose gas of N particles in a two-dimensional box with Dirichlet boundary conditions is studied. Confirming previous work, we find that BEC occurs at finite N at low temperatures T without the occurrence of a phase transition. The conventionally-defined transition temperature T(E) for an infinite three-dimensional (3D) system is shown to correspond in a 2D system with finite N to a crossover temperature between a slow and rapid increase in the fractional boson occupation N(0)/N of the ground state with decreasing T. We further show that T(E)∼1/logN at fixed area per boson, so in the thermodynamic limit there is no significant BEC in 2D at finite T. Thus, paradoxically, BEC only occurs in 2D at finite N with no phase transition associated with it. Calculations of thermodynamic properties versus T and area A are presented, including Helmholtz free energy, entropy S, pressure p, ratio of p to the energy density U/A, heat capacity at constant volume (area) C(V) and at constant pressure C(p), isothermal compressibility κ(T) and thermal expansion coefficient α(p), obtained using both the grand-canonical ensemble (GCE) and canonical ensemble (CE) formalisms. The GCE formalism gives acceptable predictions for S, p, p/(U/A), κ(T) and α(p) at large N, T and A but fails for smaller values of these three parameters for which BEC becomes significant, whereas the CE formalism gives accurate results for all thermodynamic properties of finite systems even at low T and/or A where BEC occurs.