Photoinduced electronic processes in silicon: the influence of the transverse Dember effect on nonlinear electroreflection

Electronic processes stimulated by a train of nanosecond laser pulses in a weakly absorbing semiconductor are studied theoretically. It is shown that these processes cause the transverse Dember effect – the appearance of a radial field and an electric potential difference between the illuminated and unlit parts of the semiconductor. The transverse Dember potential difference in silicon is comparable with a typical surface potential and, hence, plays an important role in surface nonlinear-optical processes.