Semiconductor Bloch-equations formalism: Derivation and application to high-harmonic generation from Dirac fermions

2020/08/31 by Jan Wilhelm, P. Grössing, Patrick Grössing +6 · 1 citation
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Dephasing #Formalism (music) #Laser-Matter Interactions and Applications #Mathematical physics #Physics #Polarization (electrochemistry) #Quantum electrodynamics #Quantum mechanics #Semiconductor #Terahertz technology and applications #Topological Materials and Phenomena #cond-mat.mes-hall #physics.optics

paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevb.103.125419

published as Phys. Rev. B 103, 125419 (2021)

arxiv created 2021/03/18 · openalex publication_date 2021/03/18 · arxiv updated 2021/03/22 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06

Abstract

We rederive the semiconductor Bloch equations emphasizing the close link to the Berry connection. Our rigorous derivation reveals the existence of two further contributions to the current, in addition to the frequently considered intraband and polarization-related interband terms. The extra contributions become sizable in situations with strong dephasing or when the dipole-matrix elements are strongly wave-number dependent. We apply the formalism to high-harmonic generation for a Dirac metal. The extra terms add to the frequency-dependent emission intensity (high-harmonic spectrum) significantly at certain frequencies changing the total signal up to a factor of 10.

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