On the free energy in systems with separable interactions. III

In this paper we extend the calculation of the free energy in systems with separable interactions of the ferromagnetic type as given in paper I of this series to a more general class of systems characterized by a hamiltonian, in which the one-particle operator ΣkT(k) is replaced by a more general operator T which may contain interactions as well. This extension enables us to simplify a great deal the derivation given in paper II of the lower bound to the free energy for systems with both ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions. We also discuss in some detail under which conditions the upper and the lower bounds can be equal. (The conditions include in particular the hamiltonian treated in paper II.)