Effects of inhomogeneity on the Compton profiles of expanded fluid metals

On the basis of thermal unrestricted Hartree-Fock theory of electron-ion lattice gas in the density-matrix formalism, Compton profiles of simple fluid metals are calculated at reduced densities and elevated temperatures. We thereby examine how spatial inhomogeneity of conduction electrons affects the Compton profiles, reciprocal form factors and electron kinetic energies. Comparison of numerical results with experimental data for rubidium suggests a crossover from nearly homogeneous to strongly inhomogeneous expansion as the density is lowered from the ambient condition toward the gas-liquid critical point.