Particle-in-Cell simulations of electron spin effects in plasmas

TL;DR

This paper introduces a particle-in-cell simulation code that incorporates electron spin effects, including magnetic dipole forces and magnetization currents, to study plasma dynamics with quantum considerations.

Contribution

The authors developed a novel PIC code that models electron spin effects in plasmas, validated through wakefield generation simulations matching theoretical predictions.

Findings

Wakefield properties agree with previous theories

Electron spin influences plasma wave dynamics

Code allows exploration of quantum plasma effects

Abstract

We have here developed a particle-in-cell code accounting for the magnetic dipole force and for the magnetization currents associated with the electron spin. The electrons is divided into spin-up and spin-down populations relative to the magnetic field, where the magnetic dipole force acts in opposite directions for the two species. To validate the code, we have studied the wakefield generation by an electromagnetic pulse propagating parallel to an external magnetic field. The properties of the generated wakefield is shown to be in good quantitative agreement with previous theoretical results. Generalizations of the code to account for more quantum effects is discussed