Laser-induced quantum pumping in graphene

TL;DR

This paper explores how laser irradiation induces non-adiabatic electron pumping in graphene, revealing polarization-dependent resonant enhancements linked to the material's chiral charge carriers.

Contribution

It demonstrates polarization-specific resonant effects in laser-induced quantum pumping in graphene, highlighting the role of carrier chirality and mode excitation.

Findings

Resonant enhancement occurs with parallel polarization but not perpendicular.

The resonance directly probes the Fermi energy.

Chirality of charge carriers underpins the resonance mechanism.

Abstract

We investigate non-adiabatic electron pumping in graphene generated by laser irradiation with linear polarization parallel or perpendicular to the transport direction. Transport is dominated by the spatially asymmetric excitation of electrons from evanescent into propagating modes. For a laser with parallel polarization, the pumping response exhibits a subharmonic resonant enhancement which directly probes the Fermi energy; no such enhancement occurs for perpendicular polarization. The resonance mechanism relies on the chirality of charge carriers in graphene.