Optical dephasing and homogeneous optical bands in crystals and amorphous solids: Dynamic and stochastic approaches

• Published in: Physics reports 1991-08, Vol.206 (2), p.43-97
• Main Author: Osad'ko, I.S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Exact sciences and technology; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties of bulk materials and thin films; Physics
• ISSN: 0370-1573; 1873-6270
• DOI: 10.1016/0370-1573(91)90048-Q

(i) A relation between results of linear and nonlinear spectroscopies is analysed. It is shown that some of the results of linear spectroscopy cannot be derived from the optical Bloch equations. More general equations for nonlinear spectroscopy are discussed. They remove the contradiction. (ii) Two possible theoretical approaches (stochastic and dynamic) to the optical dephasing in solids are discussed. It is shown that within the framework of the dynamic approach which uses localized electron-phonon interaction we can explain all results of linear spectroscopy of crystals on a quantitative level. Stochastic theories are not able to explain some results of linear spectroscopy. (iii) Both anomalous experimental data on optical dephasing in polymers and theories proposed for their explanation are analyzed. (iv) The temporal dependence of spectral holes is considered with the help of nonperturbative dynamic theory.