Finite-Temperature Bose-Einstein Condensation in Interacting Boson System

Abstract

Thermodynamical properties of an interacting boson system at finite temperatures and zero chemical potential are studied within the framework of the Skyrme-like mean-field toy model. It is assumed that the mean field contains both attractive and repulsive terms. Self-consistency relations between the mean field and thermodynamic functions are derived. It is shown that, for sufficiently strong attractive interactions, this system develops a first-order phase transition via the formation of a Bose condensate. An interesting prediction of the model is that the condensed phase is characterized by a constant total density of particles. It is shown that the energy density exhibits a jump at the critical temperature.