Electronic transmission of a nanowire partly irradiated under terahertz electromagnetic field

TL;DR

This paper theoretically investigates how a terahertz electromagnetic field affects electron transport in a nanowire, revealing resonance-induced transmission changes that could be useful for THz detection.

Contribution

It introduces a model for electron transport in partly irradiated nanowires and uncovers resonance effects and transmission properties under THz fields.

Findings

50% step decrease in transmission probability at resonance

Coherent transmission structure appears when middle part is irradiated

Potential application in THz detection devices

Abstract

We theoretically study the electronic transport of a nanowire partly irradiated under an external terahertz (THz) electromagnetic field. Although the electrons in the ballistic nanowires only suffer lateral collision with photons the reflection of electrons also takes place in this partly irradiated case. Using free-electron model and scattering matrix approach we showed that at resonance there exists a step decrement of 50 percent for the transmission probability as the amplitude of field increases to a certain volume. And the coherent structure of transmission for the system apparently appears when the field irradiate the middle part of nanowire only. This sensitive transmission property of the system may be used in the THz detection.