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The influence of electron-phonon scattering on the spatio-temporal dynamics of electronic wavepackets in semiconductor quantum wells

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Zeitschrift für Physik B Condensed Matter

Abstract

The dynamic evolution of spatially inhomogeneous electronic excitations coupled to a phonon reservoir is investigated on ultrashort time scales. For this purpose, the in-plane propagation of an optically excited electron-hole density profile is studied in an idealized semiconductor quantum well with equal electron and hole masses. Assuming low density and excitation pulses localized on a micron scale, it is shown that the optically induced electron transport exhibits a crossover from ballistic to diffusive motion depending on the details of the electron-phonon coupling.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Material Sciences Center, Philipps-Universität, Renthof 5, D-35032, Marburg, Germany

    F. Steininger, A. Knorr, P. Thomas & S.W. Koch

Authors
  1. F. Steininger
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  2. A. Knorr
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  3. P. Thomas
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  4. S.W. Koch
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Correspondence to F. Steininger.

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Steininger, F., Knorr, A., Thomas, P. et al. The influence of electron-phonon scattering on the spatio-temporal dynamics of electronic wavepackets in semiconductor quantum wells. Z. Phys. B - Condensed Matter 103, 45–52 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002570050333

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002570050333

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