Superionic states formation in group III oxides irradiated with ultrafast lasers

Abstract

After ultrafast laser irradiation, a target enters a poorly explored regime where physics of a solid state overlaps with plasma physics and chemistry, creating an unusual synergy—a warm dense matter state (WDM). We study theoretically the WDM kinetics and chemistry in a number of group III-metal oxides with highly excited electronic system. We employ density functional theory to investigate a possibility of nonthermal transition of the materials into a superionic state under these conditions. Atomic and electronic properties of the materials are analyzed during the transitions to acquire insights into physical mechanisms guiding such transformations.