Ultrafast Electron Dynamics in Neutral Graphene

We present a theoretical model capable of describing the electron dynamics taking place during and after the interaction of graphene with intense electromagnetic fields. The model is based on numerical solution of the semiconductor Bloch equation in the Houston basis assuming the validity of the dipole approximation. The output of our simulations makes it possible to decipher the real-time field-driven dynamics of the electron density in graphene in both the reciprocal and real space. We demonstrate the application of our model to interpret a recent pioneering experiment measuring the ultrafast quantum dynamics in graphene by attosecond electron diffraction imaging technique. Our findings indicate that the electron motion between the carbon atoms in graphene is due to the field-driven electron dynamics in the conduction band and depends on the field waveform, strength, and polarization direction. The developed technique provides new insights into the electron motion of neutral matter in real time and space and would have long-anticipated real-life attosecond science applications in quantum physics, chemistry, and biology.