On the spatially periodic ordering in the system of electrons above the surface of liquid helium in an external electric field

Abstract

A theory of equilibrium states of electrons above a liquid helium surface in the presence of an external clamping field is built based on the first principles of quantum statistics for the system of many identical Fermi-particles. The approach is based on the variation principle modified for the considered system and on Thomas-Fermi model. In terms of the developed theory we obtain the self-consistency equations that connect the parameters of the system description, i.e., the potential of a static electric field, the distribution function of electrons and the surface profile of a liquid dielectric. The equations are used to study the phase transition of the system to a spatially periodic state. To demonstrate the capabilities of the proposed method, the characteristics of the phase transition of the system to a spatially periodic state of a trough type are analyzed.

Keywords

• electrons
• gas-liquid interfaces
• variational approach
• perturbation theory
• phase transitions