On the Plasma Phase Transition in Multiply Ionized Warm Dense Cesium

Abstract

A quantum molecular dynamics simulation of warm dense cesium has been carried out. Indications of a first-order phase transition have been observed. The region of this transition is isolated from known phase transitions in cesium. In contrast to those phase transitions, for the new transition, it has been found that within a certain range of specific volume, metastable states on the isotherm of one phase overlap with the equilibrium states on the isotherm of the second phase, as has been already predicted for the plasma phase transition. The two phases are close to each other in pressure, but differ significantly in conductivity. The parameters of the upper and lower critical points of the expected transition have been estimated.