ELECTRONIC CONTRIBUTION TO THE ENTROPY OF LIQUID RARE-EARTH-METALS

The electron-state density N(epsilon) Of liquid rare-earth metals (REM ) is calculated, along with its integral characteristic obtained in th e second theory of perturbation theory with respect to the pseudopoten tial, acid the results are analyzed. The behavior of the N(epsilon) cu rve indicates the retention of some of the band structure in the melts . The electron-energy values calculated from the free-electron model a re least accurate for heavy REM, It is concluded that N(epsilon) Of li ght REM, except for La and Ce, is largely determined by the changes in electron structure on electron transition to a band of excited 4f sta tes. It is suggested that, for La, Ce, and heavy REM, a large contribu tion to the electronic component of the entropy is made by 5d electron s, which are partially localized for these metals.