Dielectric function beyond the random-phase approximation: kinetic theory versus linear response theory

Design and performance study of a multiband metamaterial tunable thermal switching absorption device based on AlCuFe and VO2

In this paper, we propose a multiband adjustable metamaterial absorption device based on a Dirac semimetal (BDS) AlCuFe and a thermally controlled phase-change material VO2. The absorption device has an axially symmetric structure, resulting in polarization-independent characteristics, and when VO2 is in a high-temperature metal state, ultra-high absorption rates and sensitives at frequencies of M1 = 2.89 THz, M2 = 7.53 THz, M3 = 7.97 THz, and M4 = 9.02 THz are achieved. Using a parameter inversion method, we calculated the impedance of the absorber, proving that it achieves impedance matching and produces perfect absorption in the resonance region. Additionally, we changed the physical and chemical parameters of the absorption device, demonstrating the device's excellent tunability and manufacturing tolerance. Furthermore, by lowering the temperature of VO2 to that of a low dielectric state, additional resonant peaks with ultra-high absorption rates at frequencies M5 = 5.62 THz, M6 = 7.16 THz, M7 = 7.64 THz, and M8 = 8.80 THz were obtained, broadening the absorption band of the device. Lastly, we investigated the detection sensitivity of the device by changing the external refractive index, resulting in a maximum sensitivity of 2229 GHz RIU-1. To sum up, the absorption device has great application potential in the fields of communication, sensing, temperature detection and photoelectric instruments.

Electronic transport coefficients from density functional theory across the plasma plane

We investigate the thermopower and Lorenz number of hydrogen with Kohn-Sham density functional theory (DFT) across the plasma plane toward the near-classical limit, i.e., weakly degenerate and weakly coupled states. Our results are in concordance with certain limiting values for the Lorentz plasma, a model system which only considers electron-ion scattering. Thereby, we clearly show that the widely used method of calculating transport properties via the Kubo-Greenwood (KG) formalism does not capture electron-electron scattering processes. Our discussion also addresses the inadequateness of assuming a Drude-like frequency behavior for the conductivity of nondegenerate plasmas by revisiting the relaxation time approximation within kinetic theory.

Virial expansion of the electrical conductivity of hydrogen plasmas

The low-density limit of the electrical conductivity σ(n,T) of hydrogen as the simplest ionic plasma is presented as a function of the temperature T and mass density n in the form of a virial expansion of the resistivity. Quantum statistical methods yield exact values for the lowest virial coefficients which serve as a benchmark for analytical approaches to the electrical conductivity as well as for numerical results obtained from density functional theory-based molecular dynamics simulations (DFT-MD) or path-integral Monte Carlo simulations. While these simulations are well suited to calculate σ(n,T) in a wide range of density and temperature, in particular, for the warm dense matter region, they become computationally expensive in the low-density limit, and virial expansions can be utilized to balance this drawback. We present new results of DFT-MD simulations in that regime and discuss the account of electron-electron collisions by comparison with the virial expansion.

Correlations between conduction electrons in dense plasmas

Most treatments of electron-electron correlations in dense plasmas either ignore them entirely (random phase approximation) or neglect the role of ions (jellium approximation). In this work, we go beyond both these approximations to derive a formula for the electron-electron static structure factor which properly accounts for the contributions of both ionic structure and quantum-mechanical dynamic response in the electrons. The result can be viewed as a natural extension of the quantum Ornstein-Zernike theory of ionic and electronic correlations, and it is suitable for dense plasmas in which the ions are classical and the conduction electrons are quantum-mechanical. The corresponding electron-electron pair distribution functions are compared with the results of path integral Monte Carlo simulations, showing good agreement whenever no strong electron resonance states are present. We construct approximate potentials of mean force which describe the effective screened interaction between electrons. Significant deviations from Debye-Hückel screening are present at temperatures and densities relevant to high-energy density experiments involving warm and hot dense plasmas. The presence of correlations between conduction electrons is likely to influence the electron-electron contribution to the electrical and thermal conductivity. It is expected that excitation processes involving the conduction electrons (e.g., free-free absorption) will also be affected.

Optical conductivity of warm dense matter within a wide frequency range using quantum statistical and kinetic approaches

Fundamental properties of warm dense matter are described by the dielectric function, which gives access to the frequency-dependent electrical conductivity; absorption, emission, and scattering of radiation; charged particles stopping; and further macroscopic properties. Different approaches to the dielectric function and the related dynamical collision frequency are compared in a wide frequency range. The high-frequency limit describing inverse bremsstrahlung and the low-frequency limit of the dc conductivity are considered. Sum rules and Kramers-Kronig relation are checked for the generalized linear response theory and the standard approach following kinetic theory. The results are discussed in application to aluminum, xenon, and argon plasmas.

Conductivity of warm dense matter including electron-electron collisions

We present an approach that can resolve the controversy with respect to the role of electron-electron collisions in calculating the dynamic conductivity of dense plasmas. In particular, the dc conductivity is analyzed in the low-density, nondegenerate limit where the Spitzer theory is valid and electron-electron collisions lead to the well-known reduction in comparison to the result considering only electron-ion collisions (Lorentz model). With increasing degeneracy, the contribution of electron-electron collisions to the dc conductivity is decreasing and can be neglected for the liquid metal domain where the Ziman theory is applicable. We give expressions for the effect of electron-electron collisions in calculating the conductivity in the warm dense matter region, i.e., for strongly coupled Coulomb systems at arbitrary degeneracy.

Dielectric function of a collisional plasma for arbitrary ionic charge

A simple model for the dielectric function of a completely ionized plasma with an arbitrary ionic charge that is valid for long-wavelength high-frequency perturbations is derived using an approximate solution of a linearized Fokker-Planck kinetic equation for electrons with a Landau collision integral. The model accounts for both the electron-ion collisions and the collisions of the subthermal (cold) electrons with thermal ones. The relative contribution of the latter collisions to the dielectric function is treated phenomenologically, introducing some parameter ϰ that is chosen in such a way as to get a well-known expression for stationary electric conductivity in the low-frequency region and fulfill the requirement of a vanishing contribution of electron-electron collisions in the high-frequency region. This procedure ensures the applicability of our model in a wide range of plasma parameters as well as the frequency of the electromagnetic radiation. Unlike the interpolation formula proposed earlier by Brantov et al. [Brantov et al., JETP 106, 983 (2008)], our model fulfills the Kramers-Kronig relations and permits a generalization for the cases of degenerate and strongly coupled plasmas. With this in mind, a generalization of the well-known Lee-More model [Y. T. Lee and R. M. More, Phys. Fluids 27, 1273 (1984)] for stationary conductivity and its extension to dynamical conductivity [O. F. Kostenko and N. E. Andreev, GSI Annual Report No. GSI-2008-2, 2008 (unpublished), p. 44] is proposed for the case of plasmas with arbitrary ionic charge.