3.7 The Debye Model

Calculating the number of particles for a linear dispersion relation we get from Eq (3.32) a limiting frequency

ωD3 = 6π2v3N V .

(3.35)

The corresponding density of states is

D(ω) = V ω2 2π2v3.

(3.36)

Taking into account the three orientation in space we get for the inner energy

U = 3 ∫ dω V ω2 2π2v3 ℏω exp ⁡ (ℏω kT ) - 1.

(3.37)

leading to:

CV = dU dT = 9Nk (T Θ ) 3 ∫ 0xD dx x4ex (ex - 1) 2.

(3.38)

with

xD := ℏωD kT := Θ T.

(3.39)

and Θ: Debye temperature.
The limiting cases are:
I: T ≪ Θ, i.e. xD →∞

CV = 9Nk (T Θ ) 3π4 15

(3.40)

II: T ≫ Θ, i.e. xD → 0

x4ex (ex - 1) 2 ≈x2

(3.41)

and consequently

CV = 9Nk (T Θ ) 3 ∫ 0xD x2dx = 3Nk

(3.42)

This is the expected classical result (the Hamiltonian is a bilinear function of the coordinates).