Nonlinear magneto-gyrotropic photogalvanic effect

TL;DR

This paper reports the observation of a nonlinear magneto-gyrotropic photogalvanic effect in HgTe/HgCdTe quantum wells, revealing a cubic magnetic field dependence only in inverted band structures, supported by phenomenological and microscopic models.

Contribution

It demonstrates the nonlinear magneto-gyrotropic photogalvanic effect in quantum wells with inverted band structures, combining experimental observations with theoretical analysis.

Findings

Cubic magnetic field dependence of photocurrent in inverted band quantum wells

Observation of the effect with both mid-infrared and terahertz radiation

Theoretical discussion using phenomenological and microscopic models

Abstract

We report on the observation of nonlinear magneto-gyrotropic photogalvanic effect in HgTe/HgCdTe quantum wells. The interband absorption of mid-infrared radiation as well as the intrasubband absorption of terahertz radiation in the heterostructures is shown to cause a dc electric current in the presence of an in-plane magnetic field. A cubic in magnetic field component of the photocurrent is observed in quantum wells with the inverted band structure only. The experimental data are discussed in terms of both the phenomenological theory and microscopic models.