Warm dense matter and idealized slab plasma

Summary form only given. Warm Dense Matter is a term that I introduced several years ago to draw attention to a class of states that is of interest to a broad range of disciplines. These include plasma physics, condensed matter physics, high pressure science, inertial confinement fusion, planetary science, astrophysics, as well as material science under extreme conditions. Warm Dense Matter refers to the expanded or compressed states of a solid, whose thermal energy is comparable to their Fermi energy. The significance of these states is far reaching. As the solid-to-plasma transition, Warm Dense Matter has long been a missing link in our understanding that connects condensed matter physics to plasma physics. Equally important, Warm Dense Matter is central to the understanding of plasma physics in the strong coupling regime and at the same time condensed matter physics in the extreme pressure regime. It appears that Warm Dense Matter is becoming a new focus in plasma science. One of the greatest difficulties in the study of Warm Dense Matter is to obtain measurements of uniform, well-defined states for unambiguous tests of theory when no physical means is available to confine such states. To meet this challenge, we have devised the concept of an Idealized Slab Plasma. This refers to a high-density plasma in planar geometry that can be considered a uniform slab of Warm Dense Matter in that all residual non-uniformities have insignificant impact on the measurement of its properties. Interestingly, this concept has also led us to approach experimental plasma science with a new perspective. In this talk, I will highlight some examples that illustrate the interdisciplinary nature of Warm Dense Matter and describe a class of Idealized Slab Plasma that takes advantage of the advent of high intensity, ultra-short-pulse lasers.