Thomas-fermi and related theories of atoms and molecules
Abstract
This article is a summary of what is know rigorously about Thomas-Fermi (TF) theory with and without the Dirac and von Weizsäcker corrections. It is also shown that TF theory agrees asymptotically, in a certain sense, with nonrelativistic quantum theory as the nuclear charge z tends to infinity. The von Weizsäcker correction is shown to correct certain undesirable features of TF theory and to yield a theory in much better agreement with what is believed (but as yet unproved) to be the structure of real atoms. Many open problems in the theory are presented.
- Publication:
-
Reviews of Modern Physics
- Pub Date:
- October 1981
- DOI:
- 10.1103/RevModPhys.53.603
- Bibcode:
- 1981RvMP...53..603L