Constant Matrix Element Approximation to Time-Resolved Angle-Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy

Abstract: We describe different approximations associated with employing a constant matrix element for the coupling of light to multiband electrons in the context of time-resolved angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (TR-ARPES). In particular, we demonstrate that the constant matrix approximation only holds for one of the coordinate representations, and changing to other bases, requires including nonconstant corrections to the matrix element. We also discuss some simplifying approximations, where a constant matrix element is employed in multiple bases, and the consequences of this further approximation (especially with respect to the TR-ARPES signal no longer being nonnegative). We also discuss issues related to gauge invariance of the final spectra.