Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Photogalvanic effects in topological insulators

  • Condensed Matter
  • Published:
JETP Letters Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

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.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. M. Koenig, H. Buhmann, L. W. Molenkamp, et al., J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 77, 031007 (2008).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. M. Z. Hasan and C. L. Kane, Rev. Mod. Phys. 82, 3045 (2010).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. X.-L. Qi and S.-C. Zhang, Rev. Mod. Phys. 83, 1057 (2011).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. V. A. Volkov and T. N. Pinsker, Sov. Phys. Solid State 23, 1022 (1981).

    Google Scholar 

  5. B. A. Volkov and O. A. Pankratov, JETP Lett. 42, 178 (1985).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. B. A. Bernevig, T. L. Hughes, and S.-C. Zhang, Science 314, 1757 (2006).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. J. Luttinger and W. Kohn, Phys. Rev. 97, 869 (1957).

    Article  MathSciNet  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. B. A. Volkov, B. G. Idlis, and M. Sh. Usmanov, Phys. Usp. 38, 761 (1995).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. H. Zhang, C.-X. Liu, X.-L. Qi, et al., Nature Phys. 5, 438 (2009).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. C.-X. Liu, X.-L. Qi, H. Zhang, et al., Phys. Rev. B 82, 045122 (2010).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. P. G. Silvestrov, P. W. Brouwer, and E. G. Mishchenko, Phys. Rev. B 86, 075302 (2012).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. L. V. Keldysh, Sov. Phys. JETP 20, 1018 (1964); L. D. Landau and E. M. Lifshits, Physical Kinetics (Nauka, Moscow, 1978; Pergamon, Oxford, 1981).

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  13. L. D. Landau and E. M. Lifshits, Statistical Physics, Part 2 (Nauka, Moscow, 1979; Pergamon, New York, 1980).

    Google Scholar 

  14. M. I. Dyakonov and V. I. Perel, in Modern Problems of Condensed Matter Sciences, Vol. 8: Optical Orientation, Ed. by F. Meier and B. P. Zakharchenya (North-Holland, Amsterdam, 1984), p. 15.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kotel’nikov Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 125009, Russia

    S. N. Artemenko & V. O. Kaladzhyan

Authors
  1. S. N. Artemenko
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. V. O. Kaladzhyan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. N. Artemenko.

Additional information

The article is published in the original.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Artemenko, S.N., Kaladzhyan, V.O. Photogalvanic effects in topological insulators. Jetp Lett. 97, 82–86 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0021364013020021

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0021364013020021

Keywords

Search

Navigation