Thomas-Fermi Screening Approximation

calvinjhfeng

I got quite confused with the math in Thomas-Fermi's approximation.
I thought it was supposed to approximate a length but the math from a textbook gives energy instead.
I don't understand what is it trying to approximate.

My professor told me that normal conductors screen electric field at a very short distance ≈1 Angstrom. He said that is the Thomas-Fermi approximated length.

How to derive that length?

DrDu

Quote by calvinjhfeng

I thought it was supposed to approximate a length but the math from a textbook gives energy instead.

And what do you suppose us to do now? Trying to guess what might actually be written in your unspecified textbook?

calvinjhfeng

Quote by DrDu

And what do you suppose us to do now? Trying to guess what might actually be written in your unspecified textbook?

I supposed a brief explaination of Thomas-Fermi method on approximating this screening length so i at least have an idea of what is going on.
However, I agree that I should have been more specific with the questions. Please allow me to go to library again and pull out the book again.
Also thank you for trying to help.

mzh

deleted

mzh

Quote by calvinjhfeng

I supposed a brief explaination of Thomas-Fermi method on approximating this screening length so i at least have an idea of what is going on.
However, I agree that I should have been more specific with the questions. Please allow me to go to library again and pull out the book again.
Also thank you for trying to help.

which book did you consider in the end?

Similar discussions for: Thomas-Fermi Screening Approximation
Thread	Forum	Replies
Weisskopf-wigner approximation and the fermi golden rule	Classical Physics	0
Fermi energy and quasi-Fermi energies in pn-junctions	Atomic, Solid State, Comp. Physics	0
Stirling's approximation in Fermi Statistics derivation	Atomic, Solid State, Comp. Physics	7
Solid State in tight binding approximation, Brillouin zone, Fermi...	Atomic, Solid State, Comp. Physics	0
Fermi Gas Model / Fermi energy and momentum	High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics	1

mzh	Thomas-Fermi Screening Approximation deleted