Quantum hydrodynamic model for the nonlinear electron dynamics in thin metal films

Nicolas Crouseilles (1, 2) , Paul-Antoine Hervieux (3) , Giovanni Manfredi (3)

1 CALVI - Scientific computation and visualization
2 IRMA - Institut de Recherche Mathématique Avancée
3 IPCMS - Institut de Physique et Chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg

A quantum hydrodynamic (fluid) model, derived from the Wigner-Poisson equations, is used to investigate the ultrafast electron dynamics in thin metal films. The hydrodynamic equations, which include exchange and correlation effects, can be combined into a single nonlinear Schrödinger-type equation. The fluid model is first benchmarked against a density-functional calculation for the ground state, with good agreement between the two approaches. The ultrafast nonlinear electron dynamics is then investigated and compared to recent semiclassical results obtained with a Vlasov-Poisson approach.

Mots clés: Quantum hydrodynamic model; ultrafast nonlinear electron dynamics; metal films; Wigner-Poisson model

Domaines: Physique Quantique [quant-ph]; Science des matériaux [cond-mat.mtrl-sci]; Autre [cond-mat.other]

Nicolas Crouseilles, Paul-Antoine Hervieux, Giovanni Manfredi. Quantum hydrodynamic model for the nonlinear electron dynamics in thin metal films. Physical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics (1998-2015), 2008, 78, pp.155412. ⟨10.1103/PhysRevB.78.155412⟩. ⟨hal-00596700⟩