Filamentation Instability in a Current‐Carrying Plasma in the Presence of Quantum Effects

Abstract

AbstractThe filamentation instability of a current‐carrying plasma under the diffusion condition is investigated taking into account the Bohm potential and the Fermi electron pressure. Using quantum hydrodynamic equations, the dispersion relation and growth rate of the instability is obtained. It is found that the filamentation instability, in the presence of quantum effects, depends on various characteristic parameters such as: electron Fermi velocity, plasma number density, ion thermal velocity and electron drift velocity. Moreover, the wavelength region in which the instability occurs is more restricted and the minimum size of filaments is larger, in comparison with the classical case. It is also found that the growth rate of the instability is smaller in the presence of quantum effects. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)