BCS ansatz for superconductivity in the light of the Bogoliubov approach and the Richardson–Gaudin exact wave function

Abstract

The Bogoliubov approach to superconductivity provides a strong mathematical support to the wave function ansatz proposed by Bardeen, Cooper and Schrieffer (BCS). Indeed, this ansatz — with all pairs condensed into the same state — corresponds to the ground state of the Bogoliubov Hamiltonian. Yet, this Hamiltonian only is part of the BCS Hamiltonian. As a result, the BCS ansatz definitely differs from the BCS Hamiltonian ground state. This can be directly shown either through a perturbative approach starting from the Bogoliubov Hamiltonian, or better by analytically solving the BCS Schrödinger equation along Richardson–Gaudin exact procedure. Still, the BCS ansatz leads not only to the correct extensive part of the ground state energy for an arbitrary number of pairs in the energy layer where the potential acts — as recently obtained by solving Richardson–Gaudin equations analytically — but also to a few other physical quantities such as the electron distribution, as here shown. The present work also considers arbitrary filling of the potential layer and evidences the existence of a super dilute and a super dense regime of pairs, with a gap different from the usual gap. These regimes constitute the lower and upper limits of density-induced BEC–BCS cross-over in Cooper pair systems.