Swinburne
Browse

Insulator-to-conducting transition in dense fluid helium

Download (357.79 kB)
journal contribution
posted on 2024-07-26, 14:14 authored by P. M. Celliers, P. Loubeyre, J. H. Eggert, S. Brygoo, R. S. McWilliams, Damien HicksDamien Hicks, T. R. Boehly, R. Jeanloz, G. W. Collins
By combining diamond-anvil-cell and laser-driven shock wave techniques, we produced dense He samples up to 1.5  g/cm3 at temperatures reaching 60 kK. Optical measurements of reflectivity and temperature show that electronic conduction in He at these conditions is temperature-activated (semiconducting). A fit to the data suggests that the mobility gap closes with increasing density, and that hot dense He becomes metallic above ∼1.9  g/cm3. These data provide a benchmark to test models that describe He ionization at conditions found in astrophysical objects, such as cold white dwarf atmospheres.

Funding

Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

History

Available versions

PDF (Published version)

ISSN

1079-7114

Journal title

Physical Review Letters

Volume

104

Issue

18

Article number

article no. 184503

Pagination

184503-

Publisher

American Physical Society

Copyright statement

Copyright © 2010 American Physical Society. The published version is reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher.

Language

eng

Usage metrics

    Publications

    Categories

    No categories selected

    Keywords

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC