Free energy and entropy for finite temperature quantum field theory under the influence of periodic backgrounds

Abstract

The basic thermodynamic quantities for a non-interacting scalar field in a periodic potential composed of either a one-dimensional chain of Dirac $\delta$-$\delta^\prime$ functions or a specific potential with extended compact support are calculated. First, we consider the representation in terms of real frequencies (or one-particle energies). Then we turn the axis of frequency integration towards the imaginary axis by a finite angle, which allows for easy numerical evaluation, and finally turn completely to the imaginary frequencies and derive the corresponding Matsubara representation, which this way appears also for systems with band structure. In the limit case $T \to 0$ we confirm earlier results on the vacuum energy. We calculate for the mentioned examples the free energy and the entropy and generalize earlier results on negative entropy.