Abstract: The generation of photocurrent in an ideal two-dimensional Dirac spectrum is symmetry forbidden. In sharp contrast, a three-dimensional Weyl semimetal can generically support significant photocurrent due to the combination of inversion symmetry breaking and finite tilts of the Weyl spectrum. To realize this photocurrent, a noncentrosymmetric Weyl semimetal is coupled to a pair of electrodes and illuminated with circularly polarized light without any voltage applied to the Weyl semimetal. The wavelength of the incident light can range over tens of microns and can be adjusted by doping the Weyl semimetal to change its chemical potential.
Type:
Application
Filed:
July 21, 2017
Publication date:
January 25, 2018
Applicants:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology, Technion R&D Foundation
Inventors:
Ching-Kit CHAN, Patrick A. LEE, Netanel LINDNER, Gil REFAEL, Qiong MA, Suyang XU, Nuh GEDIK