Different effects of electronic excitation on metals and semiconductors

Abstract

We study the electronic excitation effect upon ultrafast and intense laser irradiation on the stability of target materials, using density functional perturbation theory. The target materials include metals (Li, Na, Mg, Al, K, W, Au), Bi as a semimetal, and Si as a semiconductor. We found that the electronic excitation had different effects on the two distinct materials. For metals, the electronic pressure induces an increase in the shear modulus and presents a negative effect on the phonon entropy, which increases the lattice vibration frequency and melting temperature, leading to a higher stability for the close-packed structure (Al, Au, Mg). Conversely, the electronic pressure induces a decreasing trend in all these quantities, leading to a lower degree of stability and even a structural destabilization in the case of bcc-structured metals (W, Na, K, and Li). For semimetals and semiconductors, the internal pressure induces a completely opposite behavior with respect to close-packed structure metals. This can lead to structural destabilization for semimetals and even collapse for semiconductors. Finally, a shift of the Raman and infrared active modes is revealed for semimetals and semiconductors.