Effective classical partition functions
Abstract
We present a method by which a quantum-mechanical partition function can be approximated from below by an effective classical partition function. The associated potential is obtained by a simple smearing procedure. For a strongly anharmonic oscillator and a double-well potential, the lowest approximation gives a free energy which is accurate to a few percent, even at zero temperature.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review A
- Pub Date:
- December 1986
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevA.34.5080
- Bibcode:
- 1986PhRvA..34.5080F
- Keywords:
-
- 03.65.Ca;
- Formalism