Skip to main content
Log in

Classical Coulomb systems: Screening and correlations revisited

  • Articles
  • Published:
Journal of Statistical Physics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

From the laws of macroscopic electrostatics of conductors (in particular, the existence of screening), taken as given, one can deduce universal properties for the thermal fluctuations in a classical Coulomb system at equilibrium. The universality is especially apparent in the long-range correlations of the electrical potentials and fields. The charge fluctuations are derived from the field fluctuations. This is a convenient way to study the surface charge fluctuations on a conductor with boundaries. Explicit results are given for simple geometries. The potentials and the fields have Gaussian fluctuations, except for a short-distance cutoff.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ph. A. Martin,Rev. Mod. Phys. 60:1075 (1988).

    Google Scholar 

  2. F. H. Stillinger and R. Lovett,J. Chem. Phys. 49:1991 (1968).

    Google Scholar 

  3. B. Jancovici, inStrongly Plasma Physics, F. J. Rogers and H. E. DeWitt, eds. (Plenum Press, New York, 1987).

    Google Scholar 

  4. J. M. Kosterlitz and D. J. Thouless,J. Phys. C 6:1181 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  5. H. Schultz,J. Phys. A 14:3277 (1981).

    Google Scholar 

  6. J. L. Lebowitz and Ph. A. Martin,J. Stat. Phys. 34:287 (1984).

    Google Scholar 

  7. S. L. Carnie and D. Y. C. Chan,Chem. Phys. Lett. 77:437 (1981).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Ph. Choquard, B. Piller, R. Rentsch, and P. Vieillefosse,J. Stat. Phys. 55: 1185 (1989).

    Google Scholar 

  9. B. Jancovici,J. Stat. Phys. 29:263 (1982).

    Google Scholar 

  10. B. Jancovici, J. L. Lebowitz, and Ph. A. Martin,J. Stat. Phys. 41:941 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  11. A. Alastuey and B. Jancovici,J. Stat. Phys. 34:557 (1984).

    Google Scholar 

  12. P. J. Forrester, B. Jancovici, and E. R. Smith,J. Stat. Phys. 31:129 (1983).

    Google Scholar 

  13. B. Jancovici and P. J. Forrester,Phys. Rev. B, to be published.

  14. P. J. Forrester,Nucl. Phys. B, to be published.

  15. N. Jancovici, G. Manificat, and C. Pisani,J. Stat. Phys. 76:303 (1994).

    Google Scholar 

  16. L. G. Suttorp,J. Stat. Phys. 66:1343 (1992).

    Google Scholar 

  17. D. Pines and Ph. Nozières,The Theory of Quantum Liquids (Benjamin, New York, 1966).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

laboratory associated with the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jancovici, B. Classical Coulomb systems: Screening and correlations revisited. J Stat Phys 80, 445–459 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02178367

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02178367

Key Words

Navigation