Variational theory of multicomponent quantum fluids: An application to positron-electron plasmas at<i>T=0</i>

Abstract

Variational many-body theory is employed to study ground-state properties of hypothetical positron-electron plasmas. We make use of the multicomponent Fermi hypernetted-chain method to calculate the energy and pair-correlation functions of this system. Optimization of the trial wave function is performed through solving a set of approximate Euler-Lagrange equations for the pair distribution functions. Electron densities are chosen to be in the metallic range, and several concentrations of positrons are considered. At fifty-fifty concentration this system represents an idealized model of the electron-hole liquid and at the limit of zero concentration we have a single positron impurity in an electron gas. Results of this work support earlier theoretical predictions for the model electron-hole liquid and are in good agreement with available experimental evidence for both the electron-hole liquid and the single positron impurity.