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Pure spin photocurrent in non-centrosymmetric crystals: bulk spin photovoltaic effect

Author

Listed:
  • Haowei Xu

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Hua Wang

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Jian Zhou

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Ju Li

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Abstract

Spin current generators are critical components for spintronics-based information processing. In this work, we theoretically and computationally investigate the bulk spin photovoltaic (BSPV) effect for creating DC spin current under light illumination. The only requirement for BSPV is inversion symmetry breaking, thus it applies to a broad range of materials and can be readily integrated with existing semiconductor technologies. The BSPV effect is a cousin of the bulk photovoltaic (BPV) effect, whereby a DC charge current is generated under light. Thanks to the different selection rules on spin and charge currents, a pure spin current can be realized if the system possesses mirror symmetry or inversion-mirror symmetry. The mechanism of BSPV and the role of the electronic relaxation time $$\tau$$ τ are also elucidated. We apply our theory to several distinct materials, including monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides, anti-ferromagnetic bilayer MnBi2Te4, and the surface of topological crystalline insulator cubic SnTe.

Suggested Citation

  • Haowei Xu & Hua Wang & Jian Zhou & Ju Li, 2021. "Pure spin photocurrent in non-centrosymmetric crystals: bulk spin photovoltaic effect," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-24541-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24541-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. S. O. Valenzuela & M. Tinkham, 2006. "Direct electronic measurement of the spin Hall effect," Nature, Nature, vol. 442(7099), pages 176-179, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Longjun Xiang & Hao Jin & Jian Wang, 2024. "Quantifying the photocurrent fluctuation in quantum materials by shot noise," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-8, December.
    2. Bumseop Kim & Noejung Park & Jeongwoo Kim, 2022. "Giant bulk photovoltaic effect driven by the wall-to-wall charge shift in WS2 nanotubes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    3. Jiaojian Shi & Haowei Xu & Christian Heide & Changan HuangFu & Chenyi Xia & Felipe Quesada & Hongzhi Shen & Tianyi Zhang & Leo Yu & Amalya Johnson & Fang Liu & Enzheng Shi & Liying Jiao & Tony Heinz &, 2023. "Giant room-temperature nonlinearities in a monolayer Janus topological semiconductor," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-8, December.

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