Author(s): Shi, LK (Shi, Li-kun); Zhang, D (Zhang, Dong); Chang, K (Chang, Kai); Song, JCW (Song, Justin C. W.)

Source: PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS Volume: 126 Issue: 19 Article Number: 197402 DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.197402 Published: MAY 10 2021

Abstract: The nonlinear shift current, also known as the bulk photovoltaic current generated by linearly polarized light, has long been known to be absent in crystals with inversion symmetry. Here we argue that a nonzero shift current in centrosymmetric crystals can be activated by a photon-drag effect. Photon-drag shift current proceeds from a "shift current dipole" (a geometric quantity characterizing interband transitions) and manifests a purely transverse response in centrosymmetric crystals. This transverse nature proceeds directly from the shift-vector's pseudovector nature under mirror operation and underscores its intrinsic geometric origin. Photon-drag shift current can be greatly enhanced by coupling to polaritons and provides a new and sensitive tool to interrogate the subtle interband coherences of materials with inversion symmetry previously thought to be inaccessible via photocurrent probes.

Accession Number: WOS:000652838300014

PubMed ID: 34047609

ISSN: 0031-9007

eISSN: 1079-7114

Full Text: https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.197402