Assesing the effect of Coulomb repulsion asymmetry on electron pairing

Abstract

Coulomb repulsion between two moving electrons loses its spherical symmetry due to relativistic effects. In presence of a uniform positive ion background this asymmetry uncovers an angular dependent attraction potential in the direction of motion. The quantum mechanical response to such an attraction potential is obtained through perturbation. It is shown that the transition amplitude between states with the symmetry of the attraction potential becomes negative and if the density of states is anisotropic, occurrence of a superconducting state becomes possible.