Theory for Coulomb scattering of trions in 2D materials

Abstract: We develop a theoretical description of Coulomb interactions between trions (charged excitons) that define a nonlinear optical response in doped two-dimensional semiconductors. First, we formulate a microscopic theory of trion-trion interactions based on composite nature of these particles, and account for all possible exchange processes. Next, we calculate numerically the trion binding energies and corresponding three-body wavefunctions using a basis set with high expressivity. Then, using the obtained wavefunctions we calculate the matrix elements of two-trion scattering, and compare the contributions coming from direct and exchange terms. Finally, we find that the considered scattering gives significant contribution to the optical nonlinearity in monolayers of transition metal dichalcogenides. In particular, this can lead to an attractive interaction in doped monolayers. Our theory opens a route for studying nonlinear properties of trion-polaritons inaccessible before.