Investigation of the degeneracy effect on the inverse bremsstrahlung absorption using the average-atom model

Abstract

The inverse bremsstrahlung absorption is one of the most absorption processes in inertial confinement fusion plasma. In the present work, some important optical properties of plasma, such as index of refraction, absorption coefficient, electrical conductivity, and the electrical dielectric function in degenerate conditions are presented from an average atom model's point of view. ‎To include quantum diffraction effects, the Coulomb potential is replaced by an effective quantum potential for a screened electron-ion interaction, named Klebg potential. Therefore, the electrical conductivity contribution of the free-free electrons absorption that is inverse of the bremsstrahlung absorption, for transition from ‎‎ state i‎‎ to state j‎ ‎‎is obtained using the wave function of this potential. By this method, the effect of degenerate plasma on the inverse bremsstrahlung power is calculated using the free-free absorption coefficient. Finally, the obtained results of the free-free optical opacity of plasma and the inverse bremsstrahlung absorption power from classical and degenerate plasma are compared.