Kadanoff-Baym Equations with Initial Correlations

The Kadanoff-Baym equations (KBE) are usually derived under the assumption of the weakening of initial correlations (Bogolyubov's condition) and, therefore, fail to correctly describe the short time behavior. We demonstrate that this assumption is not necessary. Using functional derivatives techniques, we present a straightforward generalization of the KBE which allows to include arbitrary initial correlations and which is more general than previous derivations. As a result, an additional collision integral is obtained which is being damped out after a few collisions. Our results are complemented with numerical investigations showing the effect of initial correlations.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, to be published in ``Progress in Nonequilibrium Green's Functions'', M. Bonitz (Ed.), World Scientific, Singapore 2000, uses sprocl.st

Interacting multi-component exciton gases in a potential trap: phase separation and Bose-Einstein condensation

The system under consideration is a multi-component gas of interacting para- and orthoexcitons confined in a three dimensional potential trap. We calculate the spatially resolved optical emission spectrum due to interband transitions involving weak direct and phonon mediated exciton-photon interactions. For each component, the occurrence of a Bose-Einstein condensate changes the spectrum in a characteristic way so that it directly reflects the constant chemical potential of the excitons and the renormalization of the quasiparticle excitation spectrum. Moreover, the interaction between the components leads, in dependence on temperature and particle number, to modifications of the spectra indicating phase separation of the subsystems. Typical examples of density profiles and luminescence spectra of ground-state para- and orthoexcitons in cuprous oxide are given.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure

Kadanoff-Baym equations and non-Markovian Boltzmann equation in generalized T-matrix approximation

A recently developed method for incorporating initial binary correlations into the Kadanoff-Baym equations (KBE) is used to derive a generalized T-matrix approximation for the self-energies. It is shown that the T-matrix obtains additional contributions arising from initial correlations. Using these results and taking the time-diagonal limit of the KBE, a generalized quantum kinetic equation in binary collision approximation is derived. This equation is a far-reaching generalization of Boltzmann-type kinetic equations: it selfconsistently includes memory effects (retardation, off-shell T-matrices) as well as many-particle effects (damping, in-medium T-Matrices) and spin-statistics effects (Pauli-blocking).Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, corrected misprints in eqs. 48-5

Condensation of Excitons in Cu2O at Ultracold Temperatures: Experiment and Theory

We present experiments on the luminescence of excitons confined in a potential trap at milli-Kelvin bath temperatures under cw-excitation. They reveal several distinct features like a kink in the dependence of the total integrated luminescence intensity on excitation laser power and a bimodal distribution of the spatially resolved luminescence. Furthermore, we discuss the present state of the theoretical description of Bose-Einstein condensation of excitons with respect to signatures of a condensate in the luminescence. The comparison of the experimental data with theoretical results with respect to the spatially resolved as well as the integrated luminescence intensity shows the necessity of taking into account a Bose-Einstein condensed excitonic phase in order to understand the behaviour of the trapped excitons.Comment: 41 pages, 23 figure

Partially ionized plasmas in electromagnetic fields

The interaction of partially ionized plasmas with an electromagnetic field is investigated using quantum statistical methods. A general statistical expression for the current density of a plasma in an electromagnetic field is presented and considered in the high field regime. Expressions for the collisional absorption are derived and discussed. Further, partially ionized plasmas are considered. Plasma Bloch equations for the description of bound-free transitions are given and the absorption coefficient as well as rate coefficients for multiphoton ionization are derived and numerical results are presented.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in J. Phys.: Conf. Se

Photoexcited transients in disordered semiconductors: Quantum coherence at very short to intermediate times

We study theoretically electron transients in semiconductor alloys excited by light pulses shorter than 100 femtoseconds and tuned above the absorption edge during and shortly after the pulse, when disorder scattering is dominant. We use non-equilibrium Green functions employing the field-dependent self-consistent Born approximation. The propagators and the particle correlation function are obtained by a direct numerical solution of the Dyson equations in differential form. For the purely elastic scattering in our model system the solution procedures for the retarded propagator and for the correlation function can be decoupled.The propagator is used as an input in calculating the correlation function. Numerical results combined with a cumulant expansion permit to separate in a consistent fashion the dark and the induced parts of the self-energy. The dark behavior reduces to propagation of strongly damped quasi-particles; the field induced self-energy leads to an additional time non-local coherence. The particle correlation function is formed by a coherent transient and an incoherent back-scattered component. The particle number is conserved only if the field induced coherence is fully incorporated. The transient polarization and the energy balance are also obtained and interpreted.Comment: Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. B; 37 pages,17 figure

Polariton Condensation and Lasing

The similarities and differences between polariton condensation in microcavities and standard lasing in a semiconductor cavity structure are reviewed. The recent experiments on "photon condensation" are also reviewed.Comment: 23 pages, 6 figures; Based on the book chapter in Exciton Polaritons in Microcavities, (Springer Series in Solid State Sciences vol. 172), V. Timofeev and D. Sanvitto, eds., (Springer, 2012