Role of free-carrier interaction in strong-field excitations in semiconductors

The interaction of laser pulses with condensed matter forms the basis of light-wave-driven electronics potentially enabling tera- and petahertz switching rate applications. Carrier control using near- and midinfrared pulses is appealing for integration into existing platforms. Toward this end, a fundamental understanding of the complexity of phenomena concerning sub-band-gap driven semiconductors such as high harmonic generation, carrier excitation due to multiphoton absorption, and interband tunneling as well as carrier-carrier interactions due to strong acceleration in infrared transients is important. Here, stimulated emission from polycrystalline ZnO thin films for pump wavelengths between 1.2 \ensuremath{\mu}m (1 eV) and 10 \ensuremath{\mu}m (0.12 eV) is observed. Contrary to the expected higher intensity threshold for longer wavelengths, the lowest threshold pump intensity for stimulated emission is obtained for the longest pump wavelength corroborating the importance of collisional excitation upon intraband electron acceleration.