Combined hydrodynamics and atomic configuration-average description of XFEL interaction with matter

by Olivier Peyrusse (Université de Bordeaux–CNRS–CEA, CELIA, Talence, 33405, France)

Thursday 26 Apr 2012, 11:00 → 13:00 Europe/Berlin

3.11 (AER 19)

Novel XFEL sources of X, XUV photons represent a new technique to obtain both hot and warm dense samples of matter. In this context, there is a need for modelling (initially solid) matter when it is irradiated by such intense XFEL pulses. Here, the X-ray heating phenomenon by the photoelectrons and the subsequent Auger electrons can be a topic in itself. Likewise, we may need to simulate and optimize the isochoric heating of a sample for specific studies on warm dense matter. There is also some interest for the study of exotic atomic states as many hollow atoms can be created when a large amount of photons are focused onto a given sample. We will discuss an approach of the XFEL interaction with bulk matter where, basically, the matter is described by a 1D two-temperature hydrocode including a proper equation-of-state, propagation of the XFEL radiation field and a time-dependent kinetic description of atomic physics. The atomic physics is as complete as possible and includes all of the major collisional and radiative processes (with of course photoionization and autoionization) through a preliminary determination of the rates and cross-sections calculated in the configuration-average approximation. After a description of the physics already included in the model and a presentation of various simulation results, we will give a discussion of the various issues raised by such a description of XFEL interaction with matter.