A critical assessment of models of pair-interactions and screening used in analyzing recent warm-dense matter (WDM) experiments
Abstract
Ultra-fast laser experiments yield increasingly reliable data on warm-dense matter (WDM), but rely on entrenched simplistic theoretical models. We re-analyze two topical experiments, avoiding (i) ad hoc core-repulsion models, (ii) "Yukawa screening" models and (iii) electron-ion equilibrium assumptions. An accurate, rapid density-functional neutral-pseudoatom model coupled to a hyper-netted-chain (HNC) equation with a bridge term is used to compute structure factors, X-Ray scattering, compressibility, phonons and resistivity. Electronic-structure codes are used to confirm the calculations. The Yukawa and core-repulsion models are shown to be misleading.
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