The Role of Electron‐Hole Interaction in the Cooling Process of Highly Excited Carriers

Abstract

When the energy exchange by electron‐hole interaction is properly taken into account, the holes after optical excitation never achieve such a high temperature as the electrons for the concentrations usually envolved, and the cooling rate of the electrons therefore is significantly lower than in the case of an equal plasma temperature assumed until now. Theoretical expressions are obtained in Born approximation using the Thomas‐Fermi model for screening and calculations are performed for carrier relaxation in GaAs after instantaneous excitation.