Particle-In-Cell Simulations of Quantum Plasmas

Abstract: Room-temperature metals and semi-metals which consist of a gas of bound electrons in a near-continuum band structure can be classified as cold quantum plasmas. This insight suggests that Particle-in-Cell (PIC) simulations, traditionally used for modeling classical plasmas, may be adapted for the next generation of nanoscopic simulations in photonics, plasmonics, and beyond. This article introduces four key physics modules implemented in two open-source PIC codes that can be applied to condensed matter calculations. These modules include (I) the incorporation of Fermi-Dirac (FD) electrons, (II) material structure boundary conditions, (III) a bound particle model for linear dispersive materials, and (IV) the inclusion of massless Dirac carriers for simulating graphene-like materials. By integrating these modules into existing PIC frameworks, we provide a versatile and self-consistent approach for simulating condensed matter systems, opening new avenues for modeling dynamic phenomena in photonics and plasmonics.