Monte Carlo modeling of femtosecond relaxation processes in AlGaAs/GaAs quantum wells

Abstract
Results are presented from Monte Carlo simulations of the femtosecond relaxation of photoexcited electrons in AlGaAs/GaAs quantum wells. Two experiments are simulated: in one electrons are initially excited at high energies far from equilibrium, and in other electrons are excited at low energies close to the bottom of the band. The effects of electron-electron, polar optical phonon, and intervalley deformation potential scattering are studied. For comparison, subpicosecond relaxation in bulk GaAs is also discussed.