Numerical studies of the formation and decay of electron-hole plasma clusters in highly excited direct-gap semiconductors

The master equation for the cluster-size distribution function is solved numerically for the example of GaAs excited by various laser pulses. The results show that the steady-state distribution would be obtained only with excitation pulses which last around 100 ns. The formation and decay of the small clusters which are created under typical nano- and picosecond-pulse excitations are calculated, as well as the time dependence of various quantities which are relevant for experimental observations. © 1981 The American Physical Society.