Physics 141B, Spring 2010

Problem Set #3 Solutions

David Strubbe

1. (Kittel 14.1)
a)



0 =
A cos kx ekz = kA sin kx ekz
(1)
x
x
At z = 0, Ex0 = kA sin kx = Exi . The tangential component of the electric
field is continuous across the boundary.
Ex0 =

b)
Dzi = () Ezi = () kA cos kx ekz

(2)

Dzi (z = 0) = () kA cos kx

(3)

kz

(4)

Dz0 (z = 0) = kA cos kx

(5)

Dz0 = Ez0 = kA cos kx e

By requiring Dzi (z = 0) = Dz0 (z = 0), we see () = 1. Equation 14.10

gives
(s ) = 1

p2
= 1
s2

(6)

which yields s2 = 21 p2 .
2. (Kittel 14.5)
F = ma is m
re = eE for the position re of a single electron in an electric
field. Summing over all N electrons in the sphere, we have mN r = N eE
for the center of mass. Dividing by the volume V , and using the density
n = N/V , mn
r = neE. Insert the given depolarization field E = 4P
3 to
2 4P . Then
get mn
r = ne 4P
.
Multiply
each
side
by
e:
mne
r
=
ne
3
3
= 4ne2 P .
substitute the polarization P = ner: mP = ne2 4P
.
P
3
3m
2
.
The solution is an oscillation frequency of 02 = 4ne
3m
1

3. (Kittel 14.7)
a) Taking electronic polarizability into account, Equation 14.53 becomes
c2 K 2 E = 2 (E + 4Pion + 4Pel ) = 2 ( E + 4Pion )

(7)

Equation 14.54 is unchanged, because the forces on the ions are unaffected
by the electronic polarization. The determinant 14.55 becomes


 2 c2 K 2
4 2 

(8)
2 =0

N q 2 /M
2 T




N q2
2
4 2
= 2 c2 K 2 2 T
M


2
4N
q
2
2
2 + c 2 K 2 T
(9)
= 4 c2 K 2 + T
+
M
b) In the limit K 0, we can neglect the term c2 K 2 in the coefficient of 2 .
Then the equation is


4N q 2
4
2
2
T +
2 + c 2 K 2 T
=0
(10)
M


2
c 2 K 2 T
4N q 2
4
2
T +
=0
(11)
2 +
M

Via the quadratic formula,

s
2
2
2
2
2
2
c
K

4N q
1
2
T 2
2 + 4N q

T
+
4
T
2 = T
2
M
M

(12)

Making a Taylor approximation for small K 2 , the square root becomes




2 /
2c2 K 2 T
1 2
4N q 2
4N q 2

2
2
=
T +
2
(13)
+
2 T
M
M
T + 4N q 2 /M

The + root is a spurious solution due to the approximations we have made,

but the - root is
2 =

2 /
c 2 K 2 T
c2 K 2
c2 K 2

=
=
2 + 4N q 2 /M
2
0
T
+ 4N q 2 /M T

(14)

using
0 = +
from equation 14.58.
2

4N q 2
2
M T

(15)

4. (Kittel 14.8)
a) The conductivity in the Drude model is given by
ne2
m

(16)

The plasma frequency is given by (14.12):

p2 =

4ne2
4ne2
=
m
m

(17)

if we take = 1. We can solve for m as

m=

4ne2
p2

(18)

p2
4

(19)

and then express as

=

2


Putting in the numbers, = 1.80 1015 s1
2.83 1015 s /4 = 7.3
1014 s1 = 810 1 cm1 , using the conversion = 19 1011 s/cm, from
Jacksons book.
b) We use our expression above for the mass:
m=

4 4.7 1021 cm3

4.80 1010 esu

2

(1.80 1015 s1 )2
= 4.2 1027 g = 4.6me

(20)