{
  "id": "1609.08773",
  "version": "v1",
  "published": "2016-09-28T05:09:30.000Z",
  "updated": "2016-09-28T05:09:30.000Z",
  "title": "Beyond the effective mass approximation: predictive theory of the nonlinear optical response of conduction electrons",
  "authors": [
    "Shukai Yu",
    "Kate H. Heffernan",
    "Diyar Talbayev"
  ],
  "categories": [
    "cond-mat.mes-hall",
    "physics.optics"
  ],
  "abstract": "We present an experimental and computational study of the nonlinear optical response of conduction electrons to intense terahertz (THz) electric field. Our observations (saturable absorption and an amplitude-dependent group refractive index) can be understood on the qualitative level as the breakdown of the effective mass approximation. However, a predictive theoretical description of the nonlinearity has been missing. We propose a model based on the semiclassical electron dynamics, a realistic band structure, and the free electron Drude parameters to accurately calculate the experimental observables in InSb. Our results open a path to predictive modeling of the conduction-electron optical nonlinearity in semiconductors, metamaterials, as well as high-field effects in THz plasmonics.",
  "revisions": [
    {
      "version": "v1",
      "updated": "2016-09-28T05:09:30.000Z"
    }
  ],
  "analyses": {
    "keywords": [
      "nonlinear optical response",
      "effective mass approximation",
      "conduction electrons",
      "predictive theory",
      "free electron drude parameters"
    ],
    "note": {
      "typesetting": "TeX",
      "pages": 0,
      "language": "en",
      "license": "arXiv",
      "status": "editable"
    }
  }
}