An avalanche model for femtosecond optical response

TL;DR

This paper introduces a simple avalanche model to explain ultrafast optical switching in Indium Tin Oxide, capturing experimental observations of transparency to reflectivity transition within a few femtoseconds.

Contribution

It proposes a novel, minimalistic avalanche-based theoretical framework to explain femtosecond optical response in ITO, addressing previously unexplained rapid switching phenomena.

Findings

The model reproduces the ultrafast switching behavior observed experimentally.

It provides a theoretical basis for the femtosecond-scale transition in ITO.

The approach simplifies understanding of complex optical dynamics in transparent conductors.

Abstract

Experiments on Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) have revealed that a relatively broad 200THz pump pulse, roughly 30 cycles in width, can switch ITO from a transparent to a reflecting state within one or two optical cycles, a few Femtoseconds. So far the rapid switching has remained unexplained by theory. Here a very simple bare bones theory explains the key experimental features in terms of an avalanche model suggested by avalanche diodes.