Simulations of liquid ribidium expanded to the critical density

Quantum molecular dynamic simulations were used to examine the change in atomic and electronic structure in liquid rubidium along its liquid-vapor coexistence curve. Starting from the liquid at the triple point, with increasing expansion we observe a continuous increase in the electron localization leading to ion clustering near the metal-nonmetal transition at about twice the critical density, in agreement with electrical measurements, and to the presence of dimers near and below the critical density