Electron-hole plasma generation and evolution in semiconductors

Abstract

We discuss various physical problems related to dense electron-hole (e-h) plasmas in silicon-like semiconductors such as: the e-h plasma energy in the quantum and classical limits including the actual band structure; the dielectric constant using the appropriate plasma frequency mass and the variation of the plasma relaxation time due to e-h collisions; the plasma generation including its nonlinear aspect when the e-h density passes the plasma frequency density of the pump beam; the e-h plasma evolution due to Auger recombination and impact ionization as well as the e-h plasma hydrodynamics; finally, we will discuss also the possibility of a very fascinating melting at T=0.