Theoretical work dealing with the electron-phonon interaction (EPI) and its effects on the physical properties of metals is reviewed. The many-body approach and that using Landau’s Fermi-liquid theory are briefly described and their adequacy is demonstrated for low values of the adiabaticity parameter (ω_D/ε_F)^(1/2), where ω_D is the characteristic photon frequency, and ε_F is the Fermi energy. Density functional theory is applied to EPI calculations are outlined, and for a number of simple and transition metals, the results of calculations for EPI spectral densities and EPI-dependent physical properties are presented. The potentialities and the range of validity for EPI applications of the density functional method are discussed.

PACS: 63.20.Kr, 71.10.+x, 71.20.Cf, 71.38.+i DOI: 10.1070/PU1997v040n04ABEH000226 URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/1997/4/a/ A1997XB47600001 Citation: Maksimov E G, Savrasov D Yu, Savrasov S Yu "The electron-phonon interaction and the physical properties of metals" Phys. Usp. 40 337–358 (1997) BibTexBibNote ® (generic)BibNote ® (RIS)MedlineRefWorks Оригинал: Максимов Е Г, Саврасов Д Ю, Саврасов С Ю «Электрон-фононное взаимодействие и физические свойства металлов» УФН 167 353–376 (1997); DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.0167.199704a.0353