Electrodynamic Properties of a Quantum Plasma in a Uniform Magnetic Field

Abstract

A quantum-mechanical derivation is given of the conductivity tensor of a free electron gas in the presence of a dc magnetic field and of an arbitrary electromagnetic disturbance. The results obtained are applied to study some simple problems on the dispersion and attenuation of sound waves in metals in the presence of a magnetic field. In particular, it is shown that both the velocity and attenuation of longitudinal acoustic waves travelling parallel to the magnetic field exhibit oscillations as a function of the magnetic field under suitable conditions.