Vlasov simulations of electron dynamics in metallic nanostructures

The ultrafast electron dynamics in metallic nanoparticles and thin metal films can be investigated using a semiclassical model based on self-consistent Vlasov–Poisson simulations. Here, we present an ‘Eulerian’ code that solves the Vlasov equation on a regular phase-space mesh. Eulerian codes possess several remarkable advantages over standard test-particle techniques: (i) they display a very low level of numerical noise; (ii) they are accurate even in regions of low electronic density; (iii) and, most importantly for nanosized objects, they preserve the fermionic character of the electron distribution at all times. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate the potential applications of this method to the study of electron transport in metallic nanostructures.