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The expression that you wrote for the density of states is for a free electron gas in 2D. Your answer is right, if you have a 2D free electron gas. However, for a 3D gas, the density of states per volume is given by $$D(k)=\frac{k^2 }{ \pi^2}$$ If

You get the above expression as follows:

$$D(k)\ dk\times Volume= \underbrace{2}_{\mbox{spin degeneracy}}\times \underbrace{4\pi k^2 dk}_{\mbox{3D volume element in k-space}} \div \underbrace{\left(\frac{2 \pi}{L}\right)^3}_\mbox{Volume occupied by 1 state in k-space}$$

where L is the length of the container.

Some brief explanation of the origins of the terms:

We multiply by 2 for spins because electrons are spin-1/2 particles and therefore each k-state will have a degeneracy of $2(1/2)+1=2$.

The $4 \pi k^2$ factor is obtained following the same reasoning as you would to find the volume occupied between $r$ and $(r+dr)$, by a sphere.

From periodic boundary conditions, we find that states are uniformly spaced by $\frac{2 \pi}{L}$ in k-space. Therefore the volume occupied by each k-state is simply the cube of that.

If you use this expression, you will indeed get the mean energy to be $\frac{3E_F}{5}$.

The expression that you wrote for the density of states is for a free electron gas in 2D. Your answer is right, if you have a 2D free electron gas. However, for a 3D gas, the density of states per volume is given by $$D(k)=\frac{k^2 }{ \pi^2}$$ If you use this expression, you will indeed get the mean energy to be $\frac{3E_F}{5}$.

The expression that you wrote for the density of states is for a free electron gas in 2D. Your answer is right, if you have a 2D free electron gas. However, for a 3D gas, the density of states per volume is given by $$D(k)=\frac{k^2 }{ \pi^2}$$

You get the above expression as follows:

$$D(k)\ dk\times Volume= \underbrace{2}_{\mbox{spin degeneracy}}\times \underbrace{4\pi k^2 dk}_{\mbox{3D volume element in k-space}} \div \underbrace{\left(\frac{2 \pi}{L}\right)^3}_\mbox{Volume occupied by 1 state in k-space}$$

where L is the length of the container.

Some brief explanation of the origins of the terms:

We multiply by 2 for spins because electrons are spin-1/2 particles and therefore each k-state will have a degeneracy of $2(1/2)+1=2$.

The $4 \pi k^2$ factor is obtained following the same reasoning as you would to find the volume occupied between $r$ and $(r+dr)$, by a sphere.

From periodic boundary conditions, we find that states are uniformly spaced by $\frac{2 \pi}{L}$ in k-space. Therefore the volume occupied by each k-state is simply the cube of that.

If you use this expression, you will indeed get the mean energy to be $\frac{3E_F}{5}$.

Source Link
PhysLab
  • 627
  • 3
  • 7

The expression that you wrote for the density of states is for a free electron gas in 2D. Your answer is right, if you have a 2D free electron gas. However, for a 3D gas, the density of states per volume is given by $$D(k)=\frac{k^2 }{ \pi^2}$$ If you use this expression, you will indeed get the mean energy to be $\frac{3E_F}{5}$.