Relativistic effects in the electron density of states, specific heat, and the electron spectrum of normal metals

Abstract

The correction to the electron density of states due to the interaction between electrons and vector photons in normal metals is investigated. The correction δ${\nu }_{e\mathrm{-}\gamma }$ has a nonanalytic energy dependence near the Fermi surface. For small energy δ${\nu }_{e\mathrm{-}\gamma }$∼-${\varepsilon }^{3/2}$ and with increasing energy δ${\nu }_{e\mathrm{-}\gamma }$∼-${\varepsilon }^{2/3}$. The related tunneling conductivity is also considered. It is shown that the correction to the electron specific heat from the electron–vector-photon interaction Δ$C_{e\mathrm{-}\gamma }$∼-T lnT dominates at low temperatures over the correction from the electron-phonon interaction Δ$C_{e\mathrm{-}\mathrm{ph}\mathrm{\sim }\mathrm{-}{T}^3\ln \mathit{T}}$. It is also shown that the electron–vector-photon interaction produces resonant states in the electron spectrum near the Fermi surface.