Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2005/ii/paper-3/34d/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2005 ii Paper 3 34D Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
Periodic boundary conditions give wavevectors . In the continuum, large-box limit each state occupies area in wavevector space. A circular annulus therefore contains spinless states. Since , the density of states isAt finite the exact spectrum is discrete; this formula is its continuum density.
With electron spin the two Zeeman branches are . The requested calculation includes this spin coupling and neglects orbital coupling to the field; for a perpendicular field, Landau levels would change the result. It is appropriate for a field parallel to the ideal two-dimensional plane, or for the stated spin-only model. Taking , the lower branch starts at , and the upper one at , soConstruct the ground state by filling the lowest one-electron levels subject to the Pauli exclusion principle. If the Fermi energy exceeds , the two populations are and . ConsequentlyThe ground-state energy, including the Zeeman term, follows by integrating the energy over each occupied branch:
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