Beth-Uhlenbeck equation for the thermodynamics of fluctuations in a generalised 2+1D Gross-Neveu model

Abstract

We study a generalised version of Gross-Neveu model in 2+1 dimensions. The model is inspired from graphene which shows a linear dispersion relation near the Dirac points. The phase structure and the thermodynamic properties in the mean field approximation have been studied before. Here we go beyond the mean field level by deriving a Beth-Uhlenbeck equation for Gaussian fluctuations, solutions of which we explore numerically, for the first time including their momentum dependence. We discuss the excitonic mass, fluctuation pressure and phase shifts. We also perform a comparison with the NJL model in 3+1 dimension and discuss its implication for graphene.