PyArc: A python package for computing absorption and radiative coefficients from first principles

Light absorption and radiative recombination are two critical processes in optoelectronic materials that characterize the energy conversion efficiency. The absorption and radiative coefficients are thus key properties for device optimization and design. Here, we develop a python package named pyArc that allows rigorous computation of absorption and radiative coefficients from first principles. By integrating several interpolation strategies to augment k-point sampling in reciprocal space, our code is accurate yet highly efficient. In addition to evaluation of the coefficients, our code is capable of intuitive analysis of carrier distribution, facilitating a deeper understanding of the microscopic mechanisms underlying the radiative coefficients. Utilizing GaAs as a prototypical example, we demonstrate how to employ our package to compute absorption and radiative coefficients and to investigate the key features in the electronic structure that give rise to these coefficients.