Photogalvanic current in a double quantum well

A double quantum well affected by external alternating electric field with in- and out-of-plane components is studied. This field causes transitions between near-degenerate states located in different wells. The phototransitions are accompanied by the in-plane momentum nonconservation caused by the impurity scattering. We study the in-plane stationary current due to the lack of the in-plane symmetry of these indirect phototransitions. It is shown that the value and direction of the current are determined by the polarization of light. The linear and circular photogalvanic coefficients are found. When the photon energy approaches the distance between subbands these coefficients have their symmetric and antisymmetric resonance behaviors, respectively.     

Photogalvanic current in electron gas over a liquid helium surface

We study the stationary surface photocurrent in 2D electron gas near the helium surface. Electron gas is assumed to be attracted to the helium surface due to the image attracting force and an external stationary electric field. The alternating electric field has both vertical and in-plane components. The photogalvanic effect originates from the periodic transitions of electrons between quantum subbands in the vertical direction caused by a normal component of the alternating electric field accompanied by synchronous in-plane acceleration/deceleration due to the electric field in-plane component. The effect needs vertical asymmetry of the system. The problem is considered taking into account a friction caused by the electron-ripplon interaction. The photocurrent resonantly depends on the field frequency. The resonance occurs at field frequencies close to the distance between well subbands. The resonance is symmetric or antisymmetric depending on the kind (linear or circular) of polarization.     

Impurity optical absorption in parabolic quantum well

Optical absorption in GaAs parabolic quantum well in the presence of hydrogenic impurity is considered. The absorption coefficient associated with the transitions between the upper valence subband and donor ground state is calculated. The impurity ground state wave function and energy are obtained using the variational method. Dependence of the absorption spectra on impurity position in quantum well was investigated. It is shown, that along with quantum well width decrease the absorption threshold shifts to higher frequencies. Results obtained within frames of parabolic approximation are compared with results for rectangular infinite-barrier quantum well case. The acceptor state → conduction band transitions considered as well.     

The quantum acoustomagnetoelectric field in a quantum well with a parabolic potential

The acoustomagnetoelectric (AME) field in a quantum well with a parabolic potential (QWPP) has been studied in the presence of an external magnetic field. The analytic expression for the AME field in the QWPP is obtained by using the quantum kinetic equation for the distribution function of electrons interacting with external phonons. The dependence of the AME field on the temperature T of the system, the wavenumber q of the acoustic wave and external magnetic field B for the specific AlAs/GaAs/AlAs is achieved by using a numerical method. The problem is considered for both cases: The weak magnetic field region and the quantized magnetic field region. The results are compared with those for normal bulk semiconductor and superlattices to show the differences, and we use the quantum theory to calculate the AME field in the QWPP.     

Self-channelling of electric current in a quantum well

We have directly demonstrated that homogeneous photoexcitation of a quantum well in presence of uniform tilted magnetic field gives rise to a set of bypass in-plane electric currents of a different value which may flow even in the opposite directions simultaneously. The effect has been observed in an asymmetric InAs quantum well under the Landau quantization. Theoretical model of the effect are discussed as well as the related problems.     

Photogalvanic effects in topological insulators

We discuss optical absorption in topological insulators and study possible photoelectric effects theoretically. We found that absorption of circularly polarized electromagnetic waves in two-dimensional topological insulators results in electric current in the conducting 1D edge channels, the direction of the current being determined by the light polarization. We suggest two ways of inducing such a current: due to magnetic dipole electron transitions stimulated by irradiation of frequency below the bulk energy gap, and due to electric dipole transitions in the bulk at frequencies larger than the energy gap with subsequent capture of the photogenerated carriers on conducting edge states.     

Photogalvanic effects in heteropolar nanotubes

We show that an electrical shift current is generated when electrons are photoexcited from the valence to conduction bands on a BN nanotube. This photocurrent follows the light pulse envelope and its symmetry is controlled by the atomic structure of the nanotube. We find that the shift current has an intrinsic quantum mechanical signature in which the chiral index of the tube determines the direction of the current along the tube axis. We identify the discrete lattice effects in the tangent plane of the tube that lead to an azimuthal component of the shift current. The nanotube shift current can lead to ultrafast optoelectronic and optomechanical applications.     

Photogalvanic effect in ferromagnets with a noncoplanar magnetization distribution

The photogalvanic effect in ferromagnetic materials is predicted. This is the appearance of the direct electric current in a ferromagnet sample due to a high-frequency alternating electric field. The phenomenological theory of this photogalvanic effect in ferromagnets is developed and the simplest microscopic model explaining the occurrence of the photogalvanic effect in a medium with the helical magnetic structure is proposed. The photogalvanic effect arises owing to the breaking of the symmetry with respect to the reversal of the electron motion in the medium with a noncoplanar magnetization distribution.     

Free-carrier absorption in a parabolic quantum well with consideration of scattering on ionized impurities

Intra-subband transitions caused by light absorption in a parabolic quantum well is considered taking into account the scattering by ionized impurity centers. To calculate the scattering matrix element, the Born approximation is used and the interaction with the impurity is described by the Coulomb potential. An analytical expression for the absorption coefficient of processes with the initial absorption of photon and further scattering by an ionized impurity center is obtained. For absorption coefficient the frequency characteristics and dependence on the width of quantum well are examined.     

Optical absorption caused by the transitions between donor-acceptor pairs in a parabolic quantum well

The interimpurity optical absorption in a parabolic quantum well is studied theoretically. Under the assumption of a lightly doped semiconductor, the probabilities of acceptor-to-donor transitions are determined and the corresponding coefficient of light absorption is calculated. Within the framework of the nearest neighbor model, the broadening of impurity levels connected with the spatial distribution of donor-acceptor pairs is taken into account. The dependence of the absorption coefficient on the impurity concentration is determined and the blueshift in the absorption spectrum is studied.     

Extraction of current carriers by photons in a quantum well

The extraction of holes by photons in an infinitely deep semiconductor quantum well is studied. Both interzone and intersubzone optical transitions, which make separate contributions to this effect, are examined. In calculating the extraction current, it is assumed that the optical transition probability depends on the photon momentum only as a result of its appearance in the energy and momentum conservation laws. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 1710–1711 (September 1998)