Numerical Computation of Dynamical Schwinger-like Pair Production in Graphene

Abstract

The density of electron-hole pairs produced in a graphene sample immersed in a homogeneous time-dependent electric field is evaluated. Because low energy charge carriers in graphene are described by relativistic quantum mechanics, the calculation is performed within the strong field quantum electrodynamics formalism, requiring a solution of the Dirac equation in momentum space. The equation is solved using a split-operator numerical scheme on parallel computers, allowing for the investigation of several field configurations. The strength of the method is illustrated by computing the electron momentum density generated from a realistic laser pulse model. We observe quantum interference patterns reminiscent of Landau–Zener–Stückelberg interferometry.