Abstract

Quantum dynamics are theoretically pivotal and challenging for the non-equilibrium processes in warm dense matter. Here, the electron-ion relaxation in warm dense hydrogen is investigated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation with Electron Force Field method (eFF). Quantum collisions are therefore included since the electrons are treated as Gaussian wave packets, and the Coulomb Catastrophe in classical MD can be avoided. The results of eFF show that the temperature relaxation time can be up to 4.1 times longer than that from current popular models and classical MD. The analyses of particle distributions, kinetic and potential energies, mean free path show that quantum degeneracy, delocalization, and cross sections of electrons with coupled ions are the intrinsic physics for the extremely low energy exchange rates in large-angle collisions and quantum electrons dominated warm dense matter.

© 2018 The Author(s)