Quantum statistical physics: A new approach

The new scheme employed (throughout the “thermodynamic phase space”), in the statistical thermodynamic investigation of classical systems, is extended to quantum systems. Quantum Nearest Neighbor Probability Density Functions (QNNPDF's) are formulated (in a manner analogous to the classical case) to provide a new quantum approach for describing structure at the microscopic level, as well as characterize the thermodynamic properties of material systems. Since QNNPDF's describe microstructure in “random neighborhoods”, the new scheme may be viewed as an “elastic cavity” approach (with “elastic” walls). A major point of this paper is that it relates the free energy of an assembly of interacting particles to QNNPDF's. Application to the simple case of dilute, weakly degenerate gases has been outlined.