Ionization potential depression and ionization balance in dense plasmas

Abstract: Theoretical modelling of ionization potential depression and the related ionization equilibrium in dense plasmas, in particular in warm/hot dense matter, represents a significant challenge due to ionic coupling and electronic degeneracy effects. We present a quantum statistical model based on dynamical structure factors for the ionization potential depression, where quantum exchange and dynamical correlation effects in plasma environments are consistently and systematically taken into account in terms of the concept of self-energy. Under the condition of local thermodynamic equilibrium, the charge state distribution (or ionic fraction) characterized by the ionization balance is obtained by solving the coupled Saha equations. Calculations for the ionization potential depression of different chemical elements are performed with the electronic and ionic structure factors. The ionic structure factors are determined by solving the Ornstein-Zernike equation in combination with the hypernetted-chain equation. As a further application of our approach, we present results for the charge state distribution of aluminium plasmas at several temperatures and densities.