Modeling Ion-Ion Interactions to Demonstrate Continuum Lowering and Banding in Plasma

How to embed an ion in a plasma has been a longstanding challenge for plasma physics. To elucidate the plasma effects of continuum lowering and energy banding, we develop a simple one-dimensional ion model based on the finite square well (FSW). Multiple FSWs are used to model a plasma by mimicking many-body interactions. This model demonstrates continuum lowering and banding from mixing of and perturbations by neighboring single-site states. We developed this model with the goal of establishing more accurate understanding of opacity in high energy density plasmas.