Carrier-envelope phase effects in graphene

Abstract

We numerically study the interaction of a terahertz pulse with monolayer graphene. We observe that the electron momentum density is affected by the carrier-envelope phase (CEP) of the single- to few-cycle terahertz laser pulse that induces the electron dynamics. In particular, we see strong asymmetric electron momentum distributions for non-zero values of the CEP. We explain the origin of the asymmetry within the adiabatic-impulse model by finding conditions to reach minimal adiabatic gap between the valence band and the conduction band. We discuss how these conditions and the interference pattern, emanating from successive non-adiabatic transitions at this minimal gap, affect the electron momentum density and how they are modified by the CEP. This opens the door to control fundamental time-dependent electron dynamics in the tunneling regime in Dirac materials. Also, this control suggests a way to measure the CEP of a terahertz laser pulse when it interacts with condensed matter systems.