Carrier-carrier scattering in quantum wells

We have studied carrier dynamics in highly nonequilibrium two-dimensional (2D) carrier distributions generated with femtosecond laser pulses in p-doped (Formula presented) quantum wells at photoexcited carrier densities between (Formula presented) and (Formula presented) The initially nonthermal carrier distribution is quickly broadened due to inelastic carrier-carrier scattering, with the broadening rate increasing as carrier density is increased. Measurements of the unrelaxed peak height in the hot electron-neutral acceptor luminescence spectra are compared with calculations of the carrier distribution using integration of the 2D dynamically screened Boltzmann equation. Our results indicate that carrier-carrier scattering becomes as significant a scattering mechanism as LO-phonon emission at density of about (Formula presented).