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Abstract

We study the photoexcitation dynamics of correlated band insulators, using nonequilibrium dynamical mean-field theory for the ionic Hubbard model. We find two distinct behaviors, depending on the ratio of the on-site interaction U and the bare band gap Δ. For small interactions, the relaxation is characterized by intraband carrier scattering in relatively rigid bands, leading to a nonthermal intermediate state with separate thermal distributions of electrons and holes. This behavior can be viewed as typical for a band insulator with weak interactions. For larger interaction, on the other hand, we observe a strong modification of the electronic spectrum and a filling-in of the gap after photoexcitation, along with a rapid thermalization of the system. The two behaviors therefore provide a dynamical distinction of a correlated band insulator and a band insulator, which can differ even when the spectra of the two systems are similar in equilibrium. The crossover happens when the interaction U is comparable to Δ.