Quantum effects in beam-plasma instabilities

TL;DR

This paper reviews how quantum effects influence plasma beam instabilities, highlighting both suppression and emergence of new unstable modes, with implications for fast ignition in fusion.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive review of quantum effects on plasma streaming instabilities using fluid and kinetic models, with specific focus on the electron fast ignition scenario.

Findings

Quantum effects can reduce certain plasma instabilities.

Quantum effects can also generate new unstable branches.

Implications for electron-driven fast ignition are discussed.

Abstract

Among the numerous works on quantum effects that have been published in recent years, streaming instabilities in plasma have also been revisited. Both the fluid quantum and the kinetic Wigner-Maxwell models have been used to explore quantum effects on the Weibel, Filamentation and Two-Stream instabilities. While quantum effects usually tend to reduce the instabilities, they can also spur new unstable branches. A number of theoretical results will be reviewed together with the implications to one physical setting, namely the electron driven fast ignition scenario.