Investigation of Structure and Equation of State of Warm Dense Matter (WDM DAAD)

Warm dense matter (WDM) is an intermediate state of matter at the transition from a solid to an ideal plasma with characteristic medium-to-high temperatures (1?100 eV), solid densities (~1 g/cm3) and pressures > Mbar. Such states are common inside the cores of large gaseous planets like Jupiter, crusts of aging stars, laser-matter interactions or for example as a transition state during capsule implosion in inertial confinement fusion (ICF). Such extreme conditions result in a very peculiar state of matter that stands outside the range of both, ideal gas theory, commonly used to describe low density plasmas, and condensed matter physics. In these systems quantum degeneracy and strong inter-particle forces are significant making the theoretical description of WDM extremely challenging. WDM is also extremely difficult to diagnose experimentally due to its high density and relatively low temperature. In this project we focus on the development of multiple probing of the thermodynamic conditions and structure of WDM created at large laser facilities in Germany.