Coupled kinetic Boltzmann electromagnetic approach for intense ultrashort laser excitation of plasmonic nanostructures

We propose a multiphysical computational approach that allows for efficient coupling of full-vector Maxwell-based propagation codes with kinetic Boltzmann equations to investigate the spatial dynamics of non-equilibrium processes in plasmonic nanostructures upon intense laser excitation. Accessing the energy-resolved electron distribution provides a direct path towards multidimensional modeling of transient optical, electron emission, and electron transport processes. Simulations are performed for a gold nanoparticle upon infrared ultrashort-pulse excitation close to the melting threshold, evidencing the interplay between strong intrinsic and (non)thermal nonlinearities and accessing simultaneously the non-equilibrium thermal and propagation dynamics. While delivering the results within a reasonable simulation time and while being open to further extensions, the proposed approach can serve as a reliable compromise between point quantum and space-dimensional classical models. © 2021 American Physical Society.Immediate accessThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at repository@u.library.arizona.edu