Interacting electron theory of coherent nonlinear response

Many-body interactions in semiconductors probed by optical two-dimensional fourier transform spectroscopy

We study many-body interactions between excitons in semiconductors by applying the powerful technique of optical two-dimensional Fourier transform spectroscopy. A two-dimensional spectrum correlates the phase (frequency) evolution of the nonlinear polarization field during the initial evolution and the final detection period. A single two-dimensional spectrum can identify couplings between resonances, separate quantum mechanical pathways, and distinguish among microscopic many-body interactions.

Many-body and correlation effects in semiconductors

Solids consist of 1022-1023 particles per cubic centimetre, interacting through infinite-range Coulomb interactions. The linear response of a solid to a weak external perturbation is well described by the concept of non-interacting 'quasiparticles' first introduced by Landau. But interactions between quasiparticles can be substantial in dense systems. For example, studies over the past decade have shown that Coulomb correlations between quasiparticles dominate the nonlinear optical response of semiconductors, in marked contrast to the behaviour of atomic systems. These Coulomb correlations and other many-body interactions are important not only for semiconductors, but also for all condensed-matter systems.

From coherently excited highly correlated states to incoherent relaxation processes in semiconductors

Recent theories of highly excited semiconductors are based on two formalisms, referring to complementary experimental conditions, the real-time nonequilibrium Green's function techniques and the coherently controlled truncation of the many-particle problem. We present a novel many-particle theory containing both of these methods as limiting cases. As a first example of its application, we investigate four-particle correlations in a strong magnetic field including dephasing resulting from the growth of incoherent one-particle distribution functions. Our results are the first rigorous solution concerning formation and decay of four-particle correlations in semiconductors. They are in excellent agreement with experimental data.