Strong Optical Field Ionization of Solids

Abstract

Population transfer from the valence to conduction band in the presence of an intense laser field is explored theoretically in semiconductors and dielectrics. Experiments on intense laser driven dielectrics have revealed population transfer to the conduction band that differs from that seen in semiconductors. Our research explores two aspects of ionization in solids. (i) Current ionization theories neglect coupling between valence and conduction band and therewith the dynamic Stark shift. Our single-particle analysis identifies this as a potential reason for the different ionization behaviour. The dynamic Stark shift increases the bandgap with increasing laser intensities thus suppressing ionization to an extent where virtual population oscillation become dominant. The dynamic Stark shift plays a role dominantly in dielectrics which due to the large bandgap can be exposed to significantly higher laser intensities. (ii) In the presence of laser dressed virtual population of the conduction band, elastic collisions potentially transmute virtual into real population resulting in ionization. This process is explored in context of relaxation time approximation.