Angular momentum radiation from current-carrying molecular junctions

TL;DR

This paper investigates how molecular junctions with current can emit angular momentum-carrying light, deriving a formula using nonequilibrium Green's functions and analyzing symmetry effects in benzene molecules.

Contribution

It introduces a new formula for angular momentum radiation from molecular junctions and explores symmetry-based selection rules affecting inelastic transitions.

Findings

Derived a practical formula for AM radiation in molecular junctions

Identified symmetry-based selection rules for angular momentum transitions

Provided insights into generating light with angular momentum from molecular devices

Abstract

We consider the radiation of angular momentum (AM) from current-carrying molecular junctions. Using the nonequilibrium Green's function method, we derive a convenient formula for the AM radiation and apply it to a prototypical benzene molecule junction. We discuss the selection rules for inelastic transitions between the molecular angular momentum eigenstates due to a 6-fold rotational symmetry. Our study provides important insights into the generation of light with AM from DC-biased molecular junctions.