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Introduction to Quantum Plasmas

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Introduction to Complex Plasmas

Part of the book series: Springer Series on Atomic, Optical, and Plasma Physics ((SSAOPP,volume 59))

Abstract

Plasmas are generally associated with a hot gas of charged particles which behave classically. However, when the temperature is lowered and/or the density is increased sufficiently, the plasma particles (most importantly, electrons) become quantum degenerate, that is, the extension of their wave functions becomes comparable to the distance between neighboring particles. This is the case in many astrophysical plasmas, such as those occurring in the interior of giant planets or dwarf and neutron stars, but also in various modern laboratory setups where charged particles are compressed by very intense ion or laser beams to multi-megabar pressures. Furthermore, quantum plasmas exist in solids – examples are the electron gas in metals and the electron–hole plasma in semiconductors. Finally, the exotic state of the Universe immediately after the Big Bang is believed to have been a quantum plasma consisting of electrons, quarks, photons, and gluons. In all these situations, a description in terms of classical mechanics, thermodynamics, or classical kinetic theory fails. In this chapter, an overview of quantum plasma features and their occurrence is given. The conditions for the relevance of quantum effects are formulated and discussed. The key concepts for a theoretical description of quantum plasmas are developed and illustrated by simple examples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Theoretische Physik und Astrophysik, Christian-Albrechts Universität zu Kiel, 24098, Kiel, Germany

    Michael Bonitz, Alexei Filinov & Jens Böning

  2. Department of Physics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA

    James W. Dufty

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  1. Michael Bonitz
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  2. Alexei Filinov
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  3. Jens Böning
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  4. James W. Dufty
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Correspondence to Michael Bonitz .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Inst. Theoretische Physik und, Astrophysik, Universität Kiel, Leibnizstr. 15, Kiel, 24098, Germany

    Michael Bonitz

  2. Dept. Physics, Stevens Institute of Technology, Castle Point on Hudson, Hoboken, 07030, USA

    Norman Horing

  3. Inst. Theoretische Physik und, Astrophysik, Universität Kiel, Leibnizstr. 15, Kiel, 24098, Germany

    Patrick Ludwig

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Bonitz, M., Filinov, A., Böning, J., Dufty, J.W. (2010). Introduction to Quantum Plasmas. In: Bonitz, M., Horing, N., Ludwig, P. (eds) Introduction to Complex Plasmas. Springer Series on Atomic, Optical, and Plasma Physics, vol 59. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-10592-0_3

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