Probing warm dense lithium by inelastic X-ray scattering

Maria Garcia Saiz, G. Gregori, D.O. Gericke, J. Vorberger, B. Barbrel, R.J. Clarke, R.R. Freeman, S.H. Glenzer, F.Y. Khattak, M. Koenig, O.L. Landen, D. Neely, P. Neumayer, M.M. Notley, A. Pelka, D. Price, M. Roth, M. Schollmeier, C. Spindloe, R.L. WeberL. Van Woerkom, K. Wunsch, David Riley

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145 Citations (Scopus)
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Abstract

One of the grand challenges of contemporary physics is understanding strongly interacting quantum systems comprising such diverse examples as ultracold atoms in traps, electrons in high-temperature superconductors and nuclear matter. Warm dense matter, defined by temperatures of a few electron volts and densities comparable with solids, is a complex state of such interacting matter. Moreover, the study of warm dense matter states has practical applications for controlled thermonuclear fusion, where it is encountered during the implosion phase, and it also represents laboratory analogues of astrophysical environments found in the core of planets and the crusts of old stars, Here we demonstrate how warm dense matter states can be diagnosed and structural properties can be obtained by inelastic X-ray scattering measurements on a compressed lithium sample. Combining experiments and ab initio simulations enables us to determine its microscopic state and to evaluate more approximate theoretical models for the ionic structure.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)940-944
Number of pages5
JournalNature Physics
Volume4
Issue number12
Early online date19 Oct 2008
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2008

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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