Abstract

The correlation energy (the exact energy minus the Hartree-Fock energy) of an electron gas with a high and slowly varying density is examined. The term proportional to the square of the density gradient is evaluated by the application of perturbation theory to the external field and of the random-phase (or high-density) approximation to the Coulomb interaction. This term has the form $\ensuremath{\Delta}{E}_{c}[\ensuremath{\rho}]=\ensuremath{\int}{d}^{3}xB(\ensuremath{\rho}(x)){|{\ensuremath{\nabla}}_{\ensuremath{\rho}}(x)|}^{2}$, where $\ensuremath{\rho}(x)$ is the electron density. $B(\ensuremath{\rho})$ is found, by summing the leading divergent diagrams, to be $[8.470\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}+O({\ensuremath{\rho}}^{\ensuremath{-}\frac{1}{3}}\mathrm{ln}\ensuremath{\rho})+O({\ensuremath{\rho}}^{\ensuremath{-}\frac{1}{3}})]{\ensuremath{\rho}}^{\ensuremath{-}\frac{4}{3}}$ Ry, with the length measured in units of the Bohr radius. The role of the density gradient in the correlation energy problem of atoms is discussed.

Keywords

PhysicsNabla symbolFermi gasBohr radiusEnergy (signal processing)CoulombElectronElectronic correlationAtomic physicsCondensed matter physicsMathematical physicsQuantum mechanicsOmega

Related Publications

Publication Info

Year
1968
Type
article
Volume
165
Issue
1
Pages
18-31
Citations
415
Access
Closed

External Links

Social Impact

Social media, news, blog, policy document mentions

Citation Metrics

415
OpenAlex

Cite This

Shang-keng Ma, K. A. Brueckner (1968). Correlation Energy of an Electron Gas with a Slowly Varying High Density. Physical Review , 165 (1) , 18-31. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrev.165.18

Identifiers

DOI
10.1103/physrev.165.18