The Transport and Optical Characteristics of a Metal Exposed to High-Density Energy Fluxes in Compressed and Expanded States of Matter
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
In this manuscript, the authors are presenting a study on the development of the metal model by using iron as an example. Theoretical discussions of the transport and optical properties of metal in compressed and expanded states are analyzed. According to the analyses, they claimed that their results are in agreement with the theoretical description for cases of ideal non-degenerate and dense degenerate electron plasmas. In the final, they concluded that their proposed model fits to the estimation of metal properties in compressed and expanded states under the influence of high-density energy fluxes. The theoretical study of this work is solid and concrete. However, the reviewer feel the presentation of the data is quite poor. Thus, it is necessary to reorganize the manuscript a little bit before considering accepting.
Here are some points:
1. The figures across the manuscript seem not well aligned with the texts, the format needs a change.
2. Marks in the figures are too small to clearly see, and there might be too many cases in each figure. It is advised to keep only several of them, otherwise it is very confusing.
3. Figures 4-6 seems mentioned will be discussed in the section 3, but never discussed. Are these figures must to be included? If not, they could be attached to supplementary materials or appendix with some explanations.
4. The figure x,y axes labels are quite confusing. It is important to make clear labels/titles. Also when discussing the figures, it is required to point out what the plot is.
Author Response
Thank you very much for your kind and thoughtful reading of our article. On the following questions asked, we can add the following:
- The figures across the manuscript seem not well aligned with the texts, the format needs a change. 2.
- Marks in the figures are too small to clearly see, and there might be too many cases in each figure. It is advised to keep only several of them, otherwise it is very confusing.
- The figure x,y axes labels are quite confusing. It is important to make clear labels/titles. Also when discussing the figures, it is required to point out what the plot is
All figures have been redesigned and the labels on figures have been enlarged.
- Figures 4-6 seems mentioned will be discussed in the section 3, but never discussed. Are these figures must to be included? If not, they could be attached to supplementary materials or appendix with some explanations.
We have added some references to figures in the text. Some of the figures have been moved in the text. Also, we have changed some references on them in the text.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.docx
Reviewer 2 Report
I have reviewed the article entitled “Transport and optical characteristics of a metal exposed by high-density energy fluxes in compressed and expanded states of matter” by Lipchat et al submitted to Condensed Matter. The high energy density flexes on a matter are widespread and used in high energy density physics. The authors have used iron as an example to determine its thermodynamic functions depending on temperature T and specific volume V and discussed their transport and optical properties. Iron is the most abundant element in the Earth's core. The theoretical approaches are seem to agree with the well-established experimental results.
The high energy density physics research is significant and addresses the conductivity and optical properties of the chosen metal. The manuscript itself is written OK but the main concern of this paper in terms of novelty and the areas that require clarification are given below.
· What is the novelty of the current work and how it differs from the author's previous publication in the same journal in 2022 must be clearly articulated in the introduction section.
· The first line is the abstract is good but that is not a suitable place it should be brought to the introduction.
· The objectives and new insights of the current work must be explicitly stated in section 1.
· The charge carrier transport and recombination processes addressed for low-mobility organic semiconductors in the literature (doi.org/10.3390/nano12244414; and doi.org/10.3390/ma16134691) can be introduced at the appropriate sections in (say Sect. 2.1).
· In Page 7, line 180 it says (left dotted line” it is unclear? Be specific.
· There have already been many theoretical studies that address a variety of thermodynamic, structural, electronic, and transport properties of solid/liquid iron, as well as several iron-based alloys. Please benchmark.
· Will the high electrical conductivity of iron increase the magnetic decay time of the inner core?
Fairly reads well.
Author Response
- Point
I have reviewed the article entitled “Transport and optical characteristics of a metal exposed by high-density energy fluxes in compressed and expanded states of matter” by Lipchak et al submitted to Condensed Matter. The high energy density flexes on a matter are widespread and used in high energy density physics. The authors have used iron as an example to determine its thermodynamic functions depending on temperature T and specific volume V and discussed their transport and optical properties. Iron is the most abundant element in the Earth's core. The theoretical approaches are seem to agree with the well-established experimental results. The high energy density physics research is significant and addresses the conductivity and optical properties of the chosen metal. The manuscript itself is written OK but the main concern of this paper in terms of novelty and the areas that require clarification are given below. What is the novelty of the current work and how it differs from the author's previous publication in the same journal in 2022 must be clearly articulated in the introduction section.
Response 1
In our article, we consider the transport and optical properties of pure metals exposed to intense high-density energy flows. The initial state of the metal is metal at T=295 K and ρ=ρ0. As a result of high-intensity action, compressed (compressed), ρ>ρ0, and rarefied (expanded), ρ<ρ0, metal states arise. In fact, in our model, the metal is considered to be a plasma-like medium in which phase transitions occur, leading to a change in its state of aggregation. The thermodynamic properties of such a medium we studied in a recently published paper in Condensed Matter. But in the present work, within the framework of this model, a technique is proposed and the transport and optical properties of the metal are calculated.2. Question
- Point
The first line is the abstract is good but that is not a suitable place it should be brought to the introduction.
Response 2
Thank you for your comment. It is taken into account in the revised paper.
3,4 Points
The charge carrier transport and recombination processes addressed for low-mobility organic semiconductors in the literature (doi.org/10.3390/nano12244414; and doi.org/10.3390/ma16134691) can be introduced at the appropriate sections in (say Sect. 2.1).
There have already been many theoretical studies that address a variety of thermodynamic, structural, electronic, and transport properties of solid/liquid iron, as well as several iron-based alloys. Please benchmark. Will the high electrical conductivity of iron increase the magnetic decay time of the inner core? To obtain an estimate of the influence of the high electrical conductivity of iron on the magnetic decay time, a separate study is required, is out of frameworks the paper presented.
Response 3, 4
In the paper present we deal with a plasma-like medium occurring under the influence of high power energy fluxes such as laser radiation. Therefore, the inclusion in our article of references to the works proposed by the reviewer, in which the processes of ionization and recombination of charge carriers in organic semiconductors are studied, in our opinion, is out of the frameworks the paper presented. However, this does not preclude a return to this issue in the future, and we are grateful for suggesting a possible direction for further research.
Point 5
In Page 7, line 180 it says (left dotted line” it is unclear? Be specific.
Response 5
It seems to be specific because there is the following in the text “…which corresponds to the value of V0=79.516 …”
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
Reviewer 3 Report
This article is a comprehensive, logically organized, and contains valuable information on transport and optical characteristics of a metal exposed by high-density energy fluxes in compressed and expanded states of matter. The authors did excellent research on the metal model which makes it possible to determine thermodynamic functions, taking into account a phase transition (PT) occurring in the metal expanded state, i.e., solid-liquid, liquid-gas, and metal-insulator PT. The authors demonstrated that the analysis of obtained results shows their agreement with the theoretical description for cases of ideal non-degenerate and dense degenerate electron plasmas. It is suggested that the authors should discuss in depth regarding obtained results and discussion. However, the present submission requires minor revisions before being considered for publication in the Condensed Matter in its current condition. I hope the authors will find my comments helpful.
Abstract: The paper presents the development of the metal model we initially proposed and published in Condensed Matter on October 27, 2022. An iron, as an example, was used to discuss the peculiarities of the theoretical description of transport and optical properties of metal in the compressed and expanded states under the influence of high-density energy fluxes. Solving the semi-classical Boltzmann equation for conduction electrons for a broad range of densities and temperatures, expressions of the electrical conductivity, electronic thermal conductivity, and thermoelectric coefficient calculations were derived. The real and imaginary parts of the iron permittivity and the energy absorption coefficient for the first and second harmonics of Nd: YAG laser radiation were obtained. The calculation peculiarities of the metal optical characteristics of the matter in an expanded state in a broad range of density and temperature are under consideration. The analysis of the obtained results shows their agreement with the theoretical description for cases of ideal non-degenerate and dense degenerate electron plasmas. It has been established the behavior of the electrical conductivity and optical characteristics in the critical and supercritical regions of densities and temperatures are in agreement with known experimental results.
Author Response
Thank you very much for your kind and thoughtful reading of our article.
