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Fermi-Dirac statistics
The Fermi-Dirac statistics is a method from quantum physics that describes the expected number of fermions that have a certain energy.
Explanation
F-D statistics applies to identical particles with half-integer spin in a system with thermodynamic equilibrium. Additionally, the particles in this system are assumed to have negligible mutual interaction. The number of particles n in the state i can then be calculated with
where
gi Degeneracy εi Energy of the state µ Chemical potential kB Boltzmann constant T Temperature
The Pauli exclusion principle states that two or more identical fermions cannot simultaneously occupy the same quantum state within a quantum system. This applies, for example, to the electrons that provide electrical conduction in metals and semiconductors.
HistoryIt is named after Italian physicist Enrico Fermi and British quantum physicist Paul Dirac, who each independently discovered the method in 1926. |