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Physics LibreTexts

10: Self-consistent field theory

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An important unsolved problem in quantum mechanics is how to deal with indistinguishable, interacting particles - in particular electrons which determine the behavior of almost every object in nature. The basic problem is that if particles interact, that interaction must be in the Hamiltonian. So until we know where the particles are, we can’t write down the Hamiltonian, but until we know the Hamiltonian, we can’t tell where the particles are.


This page titled 10: Self-consistent field theory is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Graeme Ackland via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.

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