Debye model

E518983

The Debye model is a theoretical approach in solid-state physics that explains the heat capacity of crystalline solids by treating their lattice vibrations (phonons) as a spectrum of quantized modes up to a maximum cutoff frequency.

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Observed surface forms (4)

Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf solid-state physics concept
theoretical model
appliesTo crystalline solids
insulating solids
approximates vibrational spectrum of a crystal
assumes 3N normal modes for N atoms
continuous distribution of vibrational modes
isotropic elastic continuum
linear dispersion relation at low frequencies
category lattice dynamics model
thermodynamic model
cutoffParameter Debye frequency
Debye temperature NERFINISHED
Debye wavevector NERFINISHED
describes heat capacity of crystalline solids
lattice vibrations
phonons
explains T^3 law for heat capacity at low temperatures
low-temperature heat capacity of solids
field condensed matter physics
solid-state physics
statistical mechanics
improvesOn Einstein model of heat capacity
influenced development of phonon theory
introducedBy Peter Debye NERFINISHED
limitation assumes isotropic sound velocity
neglects optical phonon branches
mathematicalForm integral over phonon frequencies up to Debye cutoff
namedAfter Peter Debye NERFINISHED
predicts Dulong–Petit law as high-temperature limit
heat capacity proportional to T^3 at low temperature
heat capacity tends to 3Nk_B at high temperature
relatedTo Debye function NERFINISHED
Einstein model NERFINISHED
phonon theory of solids
temperatureRegime low temperatures
usedFor estimating Debye temperature from heat capacity data
modeling thermal properties of solids
usesConcept Debye frequency
Debye temperature NERFINISHED
acoustic phonons
cutoff frequency
density of states
phonon spectrum
quantized vibrational modes
usesConstant Boltzmann constant NERFINISHED
usesQuantity Avogadro constant NERFINISHED
yearProposed 1912

Referenced by (5)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Dulong–Petit law contrastedWith Debye model
this entity surface form: Einstein model of specific heat
Dulong–Petit law contrastedWith Debye model
this entity surface form: Debye model of specific heat
Peter Debye knownFor Debye model
Dulong–Petit law for molar heat capacity of many solids at high temperature relatedConcept Debye model
this entity surface form: Einstein model of solids
Dulong–Petit law for molar heat capacity of many solids at high temperature relatedConcept Debye model
this entity surface form: Debye model of solids