Energy distribution of photoexcited hot electrons in a quantizing magnetic field

We calculate the distribution function of the electrons in the conduction band of a semiconductor that are photoexcited by a laser. We assume extreme-quantum-limit conditions and we describe the recombination processes by a relaxation time. This distribution function is the solution of a Pauli master equation that we transform by means of a Fokker-Planck analysis. We determine the change in shape of this distribution function for different values of the mean energy lost by an electron during its lifetime and for different laser excitation energies ${\epsilon }_P$. The influence of optical phonons is studied qualitatively. Using this distribution function we are able to calculate the mean energy of the electron gas and are able to obtain its dependence on ${\epsilon }_P$, on the recombination time, and on the magnetic field.