Abstract
Physically realized electron gas systems usually reside in either the quantum non-degenerate or fully degenerate limit, where the average de Broglie wavelength of the thermal electrons becomes comparable with the interparticle distance between electrons. A few systems, such as young brown dwarfs and the cold dense fuels created in imploded cryogenic capsules at the National Ignition Facility, lie between these two limits and are partially degenerate. The National Ignition Facility has the unique capability of varying the electron quantum degeneracy by adjusting the laser drive used to implode the capsules. This allows experimental studies of the effects of the degeneracy level on plasma transport properties. By measuring rare nuclear reactions in these cold dense fuels, we show that the electron stopping power, which is the rate of energy loss per unit distance travelled by a charged particle, changes with increasing electron density. We observe a quantum-induced shift in the peak of the stopping power using diagnostics that measure above and below this peak. The observed changes in the stopping power are shown to be unique to the transition region between non-degenerate and degenerate plasmas. Our results support the screening models applied to partially degenerate astrophysical systems such as young brown dwarfs.
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Contributions
A.C.H. was the RIF campaign lead and conducted theoretical data analysis. M.E.G. took RIF measurements. E.H. took RIF measurements. G.J. conducted theoretical analysis. J.B.W. conducted data analysis. R.S.R. took RIF measurements and conducted detector design. C.Y. conducted activation diagnostic analysis. G.K. conducted data analysis. C.C. performed hydrodynamical simulations. D.L.D. performed brown dwarf simulations, conducted data analysis and prepared graphics. J.D. conducted theoretical analysis. C. Wilburn conducted data analysis and prepared graphics. P.V. conducted neutron imaging. C. Wilde conducted neutron imaging. S.B. undertook experimental planning and design. T.B. was responsible for detector installation. J.L.K. conducted experimental planning. G.P.G. conducted neutron time-of-flight analysis. E.P.H. conducted neutron time-of-flight analysis. D. Shaughnessy conducted data analysis. C.V. took part in experimental discussions. W.S.C. took part in experimental discussions. K. Moody conducted data collection and analysis. L.F.B.H. undertook capsule design and simulations. D.H. undertook capsule design and simulations. T.D. undertook experimental design and planning. S.L.P. undertook experimental design and planning. F.G. conducted theoretical analysis. D.A.C. undertook capsule design and simulations. O.A.H. undertook capsule design and simulations. D. Schneider conducted experimental design.
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Source data
Source Data Fig. 3
Computed curves from theory appearing in each of the four panels of the figure.
Source Data Fig. 4
Experimental data and computed theory curves appearing in the figure.
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Hayes, A.C., Gooden, M.E., Henry, E. et al. Plasma stopping-power measurements reveal transition from non-degenerate to degenerate plasmas. Nat. Phys. 16, 432–437 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-020-0790-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-020-0790-3
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