Bound State Formation and Optical Properties of Partially Ionized Dense Plasmas

Linear response theory is used to describe the response of a charged particle system to external electromagnetic fields. Properties such as the polarization function, the dynamical conductivity and the absorption coefficient are expressed in terms of equilibrium correlation functions. Many‐particle theory is used to treat correlations in the Coulomb system. The systematic inclusion of bound states is shown. Modifications due to the influence of a dense medium lead to the dissolution (Mott effect) of bound states, which is adequately described in terms of the single‐particle spectral function. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)