Solid state plasmas

TL;DR

This paper explores quantum plasma behavior in solid-state metallic objects, especially thin films, highlighting the impact of quantum, spin, and relativistic effects on electron dynamics at nanoscales.

Contribution

It provides new insights into quantum plasma phenomena in solid metals, including effects of spin and relativity in nanometric regimes.

Findings

Quantum effects dominate electron behavior in nanometric metallic objects.

Laser excitation reveals quantum plasma dynamics in thin films.

Recent results include spin and relativistic effects in electron motion.

Abstract

Magnetic fusion devices operate at regimes characterized by extremely high temperatures and low densities, for which the charged particles motion is well described by classical mechanics. This is not true, however, for solid-state metallic objects: their density approaches $10^{28} \rm m^{-3}$, so that the average interparticle distance is shorter than the de Broglie wavelength, which characterizes the spread of the electron wave function. Under these conditions, the conduction electrons behave as a true quantum plasma even at room temperature. Here, we shall illustrate the impact of quantum phenomena on the electron dynamics in metallic objects of nanometric size, particularly thin metallic films excited by short laser pulses. Further, we will discuss more recent results on regimes that involve spin and relativistic effects.