Intense-laser driven electron dynamics and high-harmonic generation in solids including topological effects

TL;DR

This paper develops a comprehensive theory for laser-driven electron dynamics and high-harmonic generation in topologically nontrivial solids, capturing effects beyond previous models and applying it to well-known topological models.

Contribution

It introduces an exact analytical framework for high-harmonic generation in topological solids using tight-binding models without simplifying assumptions.

Findings

Successfully models high-harmonic generation in topological systems

Derives explicit electron velocity expressions in tight-binding models

Applies theory to SSH and Haldane models under strong laser fields

Abstract

A theory for laser-driven electron dynamics and high-harmonic generation in bulk solids with two lattice sites per unit cell of arbitrary dimension is formulated. In tight-binding approximation, such solids can be described by $2\times 2$ Bloch-Hamiltonians. Our theory is able to fully capture topological effects in high-harmonic generation by such systems because no simplifications beyond tight-binding, dipole approximation, and negligible depletion of the valence band are made. An explicit, analytical expression for the electron velocity is given. Exemplarily, the theory is applied to the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger chain and the Haldane model in strong laser fields.