Bound states near a moving charge in a quantum plasma

• Published in: Europhysics letters Vol. 94; no. 3; p. 35001
• Main Authors: Else, D, Kompaneets, R, Vladimirov, S. V
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: IOP Publishing 01.05.2011; EPS, SIF, EDP Sciences and IOP Publishing
• Subjects: 03.75.Ss; 52.25.Mq; 52.27.-h
• ISSN: 0295-5075; 1286-4854
• DOI: 10.1209/0295-5075/94/35001

It is investigated how the shielding of a moving point charge in a one-component fully degenerate fermion plasma affects the bound states near the charge at velocities smaller than the Fermi one. The shielding is accounted for by using the Lindhard dielectric function, and the resulting potential is substituted into the Schrödinger equation in order to obtain the energy levels. Their number and values are shown to be primarily determined by the value of the charge and the quantum plasma coupling parameter, while the main effect of the motion is to split certain energy levels. This provides a link between quantum plasma theory and possible measurements of spectra of ions passing through solids.