Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:cond-mat/0211456

BCS and BEC Finally Unified: A Brief Review

Josep Amengual i Batle, M. Casas, Mauricio Fortes, MANUEL DE LLANO, O. Rojo, Francisco J. Sevilla, M. A. Solís, В. В. Толмачев

Published Nov 21, 2002• 4 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We review efforts to unify both the Bardeen, Cooper and Schrieffer (BCS) and Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) pictures of superconductivity. We have finally achieved this in terms of a "\textit{complete} boson-fermion (BF) model" (CBFM) that reduces in special cases to all the main continuum (as opposed to "spin") statistical theories of superconductivity. Our BF model is "complete" in the sense that not only two-electron (2e) but also two-hole (2h) Cooper pairs (CPs) are allowed in arbitrary proportions. In contrast, BCS-Bogoliubov theory--which can also be considered as the theory of a mixture of kinematically independent electrons, 2e- and 2h-CPs--allows only equal, 50%-50%, mixtures of the two kinds of CPs. This is obvious from the perfect symmetry about $μ$, the electron chemical potential, of the well-known Bogoliubov $v^{2}(ε)$ and $u^{2}(ε)$ coefficients, where $ε$ is the electron energy. The CBFM is then applied to see: a) whether the BCS model interaction for the electron-phonon dynamical mechanism is sufficient to predict the unusually high values of $T_{c}$ (in units of the Fermi temperature) of $\simeq 0.01-0.1$ exhibited by the so-called ``exotic'' superconductors \cite{Brandow} in both 2D and 3D--relative to the low values of $\lesssim 10^{-3}$ more or less correctly predicted by BCS theory for conventional, elemental superconductors; and b) whether it can at least suggest, if not explain, why "hole superconductors" have higher $T_{c}$'s.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.cond-mat/0211456

Related papers

Generalized Bose-Einstein condensation in superconductivity and superfluidity

MANUEL DE LLANO, Rocio R. Jauregui, J. Récamier +1 more

Unification of the Bardeen, Cooper and Schrieffer (BCS) and the Bose‐Einstein condensation (BEC) theories is surveyed in terms of a generalized BEC (GBEC) finite‐temperature statistical formalism. A vital distinction is that Cooper pairs (CPs) are true bosons that may suffer a BEC since they obey BE statistics, in contrast with BCS pairs that are “hard‐core bosons” at best. A second crucial ingredient is the explicit presence of hole‐pairs (2h) alongside the usual electron‐pairs (2e). A third critical element (particularly in 2D where ordinary BEC does not occur) is the linear dispersion relation of CPs in leading order in the center‐of‐mass momentum (CMM) power‐series expansion of the CP energy. The GBEC theory reduces in limiting cases to all five continuum (as opposed to “spin”) statistical theories of superconductivity, from BCS on one extreme to the BEC theory on the other, as well as to the BCS‐Bose “crossover” picture and the 1989 Friedberg‐Lee BEC theory. It accounts for 2e‐ and 2h‐CPs in arbitrary proportions while BCS theory can be deduced from the GBEC theory but allows only equal (50%‐50%) BE condensed‐mixtures of both kinds of CPs. As it yields the precise BCS gap equation for all temperatures as well as the precise BCS zero‐temperature condensation energy for all couplings, it suggests that the BCS condensate is a BE condensate of a ternary mixture of kinematically independent unpaired electrons coexisting with equally proportioned weakly‐bound zero‐CMM 2e‐ and 2h‐CPs. Without abandoning the electron‐phonon mechanism in moderately weak coupling, and fortuituously insensitive to the BF interactions, the GBEC theory suffices to reproduce the unusually high values of Tc (in units of the Fermi temperature TF) of 0.01–0.05 empirically found in the so‐called “exotic” superconductors of the Uemura plot, including cuprates, in contrast to the low values of Tc/TF⩽10−3 roughly reproduced by BCS theory for conventional (mostly elemental) superconductors.

AIP conference proceedings•Jan 1, 2008•0 citations

High-Tc Superconductivity via BCS and BEC Unification: A Review

MANUEL DE LLANO

Though commonly unrecognized, a superconducting BCS condensate consists of equal numbers of two-electron (2e) and two-hole (2h) Cooper pairs (CPs). A complete (in the sense that 2h-CPs are not ignored) boson-fermion statistical model, however, is able to depart from this perfect 2e-/2h-CP symmetry and yields robustly higher T_c's without abandoning electron-phonon dynamics. The complete model reduces to all the known statistical theories of superconductors, including the BCS-Bose "crossover" picture but going considerably beyond it.

arXiv:cond-mat/0405071•May 4, 2004•2 citations

GENERALIZED BOSE-EINSTEIN CONDENSATION IN SUPERCONDUCTIVITY

MANUEL DE LLANO

Unification of the BCS and the Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) theories is surveyed in detail via a generalized BEC (GBEC) finite-temperature statistical formalism. Its major difference with BCS theory is that it can be diagonalized exactly. Under specified conditions it yields the precise BCS gap equation for all temperatures as well as the precise BCS zero-temperature condensation energy for all couplings, thereby suggesting that a BCS condensate is a BE condensate in a ternary mixture of kinematically independent unpaired electrons coexisting with equally proportioned weakly-bound two-electron and two-hole Cooper pairs. Without abandoning the electron-phonon mechanism in moderately weak coupling it suffices, in principle, to reproduce the unusually high values of Tc (in units of the Fermi temperature TF) of 0.01-0.05 empirically reported in the so-called "exotic" superconductors of the Uemura plot, including cuprates, in contrast to the low values of Tc/TF ≤ 10-3 roughly reproduced by BCS theory for conventional (mostly elemental) superconductors. Replacing the characteristic phonon-exchange Debye temperature by a characteristic magnon-exchange one more than twice in size can lead to a simple interaction model associated with spin-fluctuation-mediated pairing.

International Journal of Modern Physics B•Oct 20, 2010•0 citations

Generalized BCS-Bose Crossover Picture of Superconductivity

Josep Amengual i Batle, M. Casas, MANUEL DE LLANO +2 more

A recent unification of the BCS theory with that of the Bose–Einstein condensation (BEC) through a "complete" boson-fermion model is discussed as a generalization of the "BCS-Bose crossover" picture of superconductivity. Good first-principles Tc predictions in 2D are calculated with no adjustable parameters for the so-called "exotic" cuprate superconductors of the "Uemura plot", without abandoning the phonon interaction mechanism. The only condition is that one depart moderately from the perfect electron-/hole-Cooper-pair symmetry to which BCS (as well as the "crossover") theory are restricted by construction.

International Journal of Modern Physics B•Aug 10, 2003•0 citations

Superconductor superfluid density from the Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer/Bose crossover theory

Israel Chávez, M. Grether, MANUEL DE LLANO

Abstract The superfluid density $$n_{s}(T)$$ n s ( T ) of a superconductor is calculated based on the generalized Bose–Einstein condensation (GBEC) theory that addresses a fully-interacting ternary boson-fermion gas mixture of free electrons as fermions, plus two-electron Cooper pairs (2eCPs) and also, explicitly, two-hole Cooper pairs (2hCPs), both as bosons. Here we consider two special cases (i) 100%–0% (i.e., with no condensed 2hCPs) and (ii) 0%–100% (i.e., with no condensed 2eCPs). Subsumed in GBEC are the Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer (BCS) and Bose–Einstein condensation (BEC) theories along with the BCS-BEC crossover theory extended with 2hCPs. We find that in the weak-coupling regime $$n_{s}(0)$$ n s ( 0 ) agrees with data from the Uemura et al. (2004) graph for several elemental SCs by taking in 3D with a quadratic energy-dispersion relation while in 2D with a linear relation are much too far below the data. In the strong-coupling regime the linear behavior of critical temperature $$T_{c}$$ T c vs $$n_{s}(0)$$ n s ( 0 ) obtained here is just as Božović et al. (2016) found. However, in 2D with a linear relation accounting for 0%–100%, $$n_{s}(T)/n_{s}(0)$$ n s ( T ) / n s ( 0 ) compares well with some high- $$T_{c}$$ T c -cuprate SC data between the two coupling regimes.

SN Applied Sciences•Jun 13, 2022•0 citations

BEC, BCS and BCS-Bose Crossover Theories in Superconductors and Superfluids

MANUEL DE LLANO, Francisco J. Sevilla, M. A. Solís +1 more

For the Cooper/BCS model interaction in superconductors (SCs) it is shown: a) how BCS-Bose crossover picture transition temperatures Tc, defined self-consistently by both the gap and fermion-number equations, require unphysically large couplings to differ significantly from the Tc of ordinary BCS theory defined without the number equation since here the chemical potential is assumed equal to the Fermi energy; how although ignoring either hole- or electron-Cooper-pairs in the recent "complete boson-fermion model": b) one obtains the precise BCS gap equation for all temperatures T, but c) only half the zero-temperature BCS condensation energy emerges. Results (b) and (c) are also expected to hold for neutral-fermion superfluids (SFs)--such as liquid $^3$He, neutron matter and trapped ultra-cold fermion atomic gases--where the pair-forming two-fermion interaction of course differs from the Cooper/BCS one for SCs.

arXiv:cond-mat/0412418•Dec 16, 2004•0 citations
We review efforts to unify both the Bardeen, Cooper and Schrieffer (BCS) and Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) pictures of superconductivity. We have finally achieved this in terms of a "\textit{complete} boson-fermion (BF) model" (CBFM) that reduces in special cases to all the main continuum (as opposed to "spin") statistical theories of superconductivity. Our BF model is "complete" in the sense that not only two-electron (2e) but also two-hole (2h) Cooper pairs (CPs) are allowed in arbitrary proportions. In contrast, BCS-Bogoliubov theory--which can also be considered as the theory of a mixture of kinematically independent electrons, 2e- and 2h-CPs--allows only equal, 50%-50%, mixtures of the two kinds of CPs. This is obvious from the perfect symmetry about μμμ, the electron chemical potential, of the well-known Bogoliubov v2(ε)v^{2}(ε)v2(ε) and u2(ε)u^{2}(ε)u2(ε) coefficients, where εεε is the electron energy. The CBFM is then applied to see: a) whether the BCS model interaction for the electron-phonon dynamical mechanism is sufficient to predict the unusually high values of TcT_{c}Tc​ (in units of the Fermi temperature) of ≃0.01−0.1\simeq 0.01-0.1≃0.01−0.1 exhibited by the so-called ``exotic'' superconductors \cite{Brandow} in both 2D and 3D--relative to the low values of ≲10−3\lesssim 10^{-3}≲10−3 more or less correctly predicted by BCS theory for conventional, elemental superconductors; and b) whether it can at least suggest, if not explain, why "hole superconductors" have higher TcT_{c}Tc​'s.
Unification of the Bardeen, Cooper and Schrieffer (BCS) and the Bose‐Einstein condensation (BEC) theories is surveyed in terms of a generalized BEC (GBEC) finite‐temperature statistical formalism. A vital distinction is that Cooper pairs (CPs) are true bosons that may suffer a BEC since they obey BE statistics, in contrast with BCS pairs that are “hard‐core bosons” at best. A second crucial ingredient is the explicit presence of hole‐pairs (2h) alongside the usual electron‐pairs (2e). A third critical element (particularly in 2D where ordinary BEC does not occur) is the linear dispersion relation of CPs in leading order in the center‐of‐mass momentum (CMM) power‐series expansion of the CP energy. The GBEC theory reduces in limiting cases to all five continuum (as opposed to “spin”) statistical theories of superconductivity, from BCS on one extreme to the BEC theory on the other, as well as to the BCS‐Bose “crossover” picture and the 1989 Friedberg‐Lee BEC theory. It accounts for 2e‐ and 2h‐CPs in arbitrary proportions while BCS theory can be deduced from the GBEC theory but allows only equal (50%‐50%) BE condensed‐mixtures of both kinds of CPs. As it yields the precise BCS gap equation for all temperatures as well as the precise BCS zero‐temperature condensation energy for all couplings, it suggests that the BCS condensate is a BE condensate of a ternary mixture of kinematically independent unpaired electrons coexisting with equally proportioned weakly‐bound zero‐CMM 2e‐ and 2h‐CPs. Without abandoning the electron‐phonon mechanism in moderately weak coupling, and fortuituously insensitive to the BF interactions, the GBEC theory suffices to reproduce the unusually high values of Tc (in units of the Fermi temperature TF) of 0.01–0.05 empirically found in the so‐called “exotic” superconductors of the Uemura plot, including cuprates, in contrast to the low values of Tc/TF⩽10−3 roughly reproduced by BCS theory for conventional (mostly elemental) superconductors.
Though commonly unrecognized, a superconducting BCS condensate consists of equal numbers of two-electron (2e) and two-hole (2h) Cooper pairs (CPs). A complete (in the sense that 2h-CPs are not ignored) boson-fermion statistical model, however, is able to depart from this perfect 2e-/2h-CP symmetry and yields robustly higher T_c's without abandoning electron-phonon dynamics. The complete model reduces to all the known statistical theories of superconductors, including the BCS-Bose "crossover" picture but going considerably beyond it.
Unification of the BCS and the Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) theories is surveyed in detail via a generalized BEC (GBEC) finite-temperature statistical formalism. Its major difference with BCS theory is that it can be diagonalized exactly. Under specified conditions it yields the precise BCS gap equation for all temperatures as well as the precise BCS zero-temperature condensation energy for all couplings, thereby suggesting that a BCS condensate is a BE condensate in a ternary mixture of kinematically independent unpaired electrons coexisting with equally proportioned weakly-bound two-electron and two-hole Cooper pairs. Without abandoning the electron-phonon mechanism in moderately weak coupling it suffices, in principle, to reproduce the unusually high values of Tc (in units of the Fermi temperature TF) of 0.01-0.05 empirically reported in the so-called "exotic" superconductors of the Uemura plot, including cuprates, in contrast to the low values of Tc/TF ≤ 10-3 roughly reproduced by BCS theory for conventional (mostly elemental) superconductors. Replacing the characteristic phonon-exchange Debye temperature by a characteristic magnon-exchange one more than twice in size can lead to a simple interaction model associated with spin-fluctuation-mediated pairing.
A recent unification of the BCS theory with that of the Bose–Einstein condensation (BEC) through a "complete" boson-fermion model is discussed as a generalization of the "BCS-Bose crossover" picture of superconductivity. Good first-principles Tc predictions in 2D are calculated with no adjustable parameters for the so-called "exotic" cuprate superconductors of the "Uemura plot", without abandoning the phonon interaction mechanism. The only condition is that one depart moderately from the perfect electron-/hole-Cooper-pair symmetry to which BCS (as well as the "crossover") theory are restricted by construction.
Abstract The superfluid density ns(T)n_{s}(T)ns​(T) n s ( T ) of a superconductor is calculated based on the generalized Bose–Einstein condensation (GBEC) theory that addresses a fully-interacting ternary boson-fermion gas mixture of free electrons as fermions, plus two-electron Cooper pairs (2eCPs) and also, explicitly, two-hole Cooper pairs (2hCPs), both as bosons. Here we consider two special cases (i) 100%–0% (i.e., with no condensed 2hCPs) and (ii) 0%–100% (i.e., with no condensed 2eCPs). Subsumed in GBEC are the Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer (BCS) and Bose–Einstein condensation (BEC) theories along with the BCS-BEC crossover theory extended with 2hCPs. We find that in the weak-coupling regime ns(0)n_{s}(0)ns​(0) n s ( 0 ) agrees with data from the Uemura et al. (2004) graph for several elemental SCs by taking in 3D with a quadratic energy-dispersion relation while in 2D with a linear relation are much too far below the data. In the strong-coupling regime the linear behavior of critical temperature TcT_{c}Tc​ T c vs ns(0)n_{s}(0)ns​(0) n s ( 0 ) obtained here is just as Božović et al. (2016) found. However, in 2D with a linear relation accounting for 0%–100%, ns(T)/ns(0)n_{s}(T)/n_{s}(0)ns​(T)/ns​(0) n s ( T ) / n s ( 0 ) compares well with some high- TcT_{c}Tc​ T c -cuprate SC data between the two coupling regimes.
For the Cooper/BCS model interaction in superconductors (SCs) it is shown: a) how BCS-Bose crossover picture transition temperatures Tc, defined self-consistently by both the gap and fermion-number equations, require unphysically large couplings to differ significantly from the Tc of ordinary BCS theory defined without the number equation since here the chemical potential is assumed equal to the Fermi energy; how although ignoring either hole- or electron-Cooper-pairs in the recent "complete boson-fermion model": b) one obtains the precise BCS gap equation for all temperatures T, but c) only half the zero-temperature BCS condensation energy emerges. Results (b) and (c) are also expected to hold for neutral-fermion superfluids (SFs)--such as liquid 3^33He, neutron matter and trapped ultra-cold fermion atomic gases--where the pair-forming two-fermion interaction of course differs from the Cooper/BCS one for SCs.