Abstract
We investigate the statistical properties of a two-dimensional Dirac oscillator (2D DO) in the presence of a spin-orbit coupling, breaking its supersymmetry. The Hamiltonian of the problem is shown to admit an exact Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation, which allowed us to discard negative-energy states in carrying out our study. The main thermodynamical functions: the Helmholtz free energy, the mean energy, the entropy and the specific heat, are obtained from the canonical partition function, and their behaviours are analysed. The high temperature limit of different thermodynamical functions is probed analytically by utilizing the Euler-Maclaurin formula. (c) 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.