Two Topics of Optical Excitation Dynamics, Newly Unveiled by the Time- and Momentum-Resolved Photo-Electron Emission from the Conduction Band of GaAs: A Theoretical Review

Abstract

We review the recent two topics of optical excitation and relaxation dynamics, newly unveiled by the time- and momentum-resolved photo-electron emission from the conduction band of GaAs. One is the real-time collective relaxation dynamics, resulting in the Fermi degeneracy formation in the Γ valley. We show that it takes almost infinite time to realize the exact Fermi degeneracy, due to a restricted selection rule for the intravalley transition of the photo-excited electrons. The other is the spontaneous and instantaneous intervalley transition from the Γ valley to the L one. By considering the electron-phonon coupling before the photo-excitation, such spontaneous intervalley transition is realized within the framework of the Franck–Condon principle of the photo-excitation.

Keywords

• Fermi degeneracy formation
• Franck–Condon principle
• two-photon photo-emission spectroscopy
• electron-phonon coupling