A computationally efficient, non-equilibrium, carrier temperature dependent semiconductor gain model for FDTD simulation of optoelectronic devices

We report a Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) model incorporating carrier heating/cooling for the first time. The proposed model thermalizes non equilibrium carrier distributions through carrier temperature dependent intraband transition terms. This multi-level, multi-electron model is formulated to be computationally efficient despite its physical complexity and hence presents potential for the development of powerful general optoelectronic device simulators for devices of arbitrary geometry. Results of carrier distribution thermalization and comparisons to non linear gain experiments are provided to validate the model.