A Split-step Method to Include Electron-electron Collisions via Monte Carlo in Multiple Rate Equation Simulations

Department

Physics

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-1-2016

Abstract

A split-step numerical method for calculating ultrafast free-electron dynamics in dielectrics is introduced. The two split steps, independently programmed in C++11 andFORTRAN 2003, are interfaced via the presented open source wrapper. The first step solves a deterministic extended multi-rate equation for the ionization, electron–phonon collisions, and single photon absorption by free-carriers. The second step is stochastic and models electron–electron collisions using Monte-Carlo techniques. This combination of deterministic and stochastic approaches is a unique and efficient method of calculating the nonlinear dynamics of 3D materials exposed to high intensity ultrashort pulses. Results from simulations solving the proposed model demonstrate how electron–electron scattering relaxes the non-equilibrium electron distribution on the femtosecond time scale.

Journal Title

Journal of Computational Physics

Journal ISSN

0021-9991

Volume

322

First Page

535

Last Page

546

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1016/j.jcp.2016.06.043

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