New nonlinear structures in a degenerate one-dimensional electron gas

TL;DR

This paper investigates nonlinear electron wave structures in a one-dimensional degenerate electron gas, revealing stable breather-like modes and predicting plasma collapse at large perturbations, enhancing understanding of dense plasma behaviors.

Contribution

It introduces a new class of nonlinear solutions in degenerate electron gases, combining analytical and numerical methods to explore their stability and collapse phenomena.

Findings

Stable breather-like modes identified

Collapse predicted at large amplitude perturbations

Quantum effects influence nonlinear structure dynamics

Abstract

The collective dynamics of nonlinear electron waves in an one-dimensional degenerate electron gas is treated using the Lagrangian fluid approach. A new class of solutions with a nontrivial space and time dependence is derived. Both analytical and numerical results demonstrate the formation of stable, breather-like modes, provided certain conditions are meet. For large amplitude of the initial density perturbation, a catastrophic collapse of the plasma density is predicted, even in the presence of the quantum statistical pressure and quantum diffraction dispersive effects. The results are useful for the understanding of the properties of general nonlinear structures in dense plasmas.