Search arXiv⌕ Search
Home/Archive/arXiv

arXiv · 2305.16032

Photogalvanic effect induced charge and spin photocurrent in group-V monolayer systems

Li-Wen Zhang·Ya-Qing Yang·Jun Chen·Lei Zhang
View original source ↗Read source document ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Photogalvanic effect (PGE) occurs in materials with non-centrosymmetric structures when irradiated by linearly or circularly polarized light. Here, using non-equilibrium Green's function combined with density functional theory (NEGF-DFT), we investigated the linear photogalvanic effect (LPGE) in monolayers of group-V elements (As, Sb, and Bi) by first-principles calculations. First, by designing a two-probe structure based on the group-V elements, we found a giant anisotropy photoresponse of As between the armchair and zigzag directions. Then, we analyzed Sb and Bi's charge and spin photocurrent characteristics when considering the spin-orbit coupling (SOC) effect. It is found that when the polarization direction of linearly polarized light is parallel or perpendicular to the transport direction ($θ$ = $0^ \circ$ or $90^ \circ$), the spin up and spin down photoresponse in the armchair direction has the same magnitude and direction, leading to the generation of net charge current. However, in the zigzag direction, the spin up and spin down photoresponse have the same magnitude with opposite directions, leading to the generation of pure spin current. Furthermore, it is understood by analyzing the bulk spin photovoltaic (BSPV) coefficient from the symmetry point of view. Finally, we found that the net charge current generated in the armchair direction and the pure spin current generated in the zigzag direction can be further tuned with the increase of the material's buckling height $|h|$. Our results highlight that these group-V monolayers are promising candidates for novel functional materials, which will provide a broad prospect for the realization of ultrathin ferroelectric devices in optoelectronics due to their spontaneous polarization characteristics and high Curie temperature.

Explore related subjects

cond-mat.mtrl-scicond-mat.mes-hall

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Li-Wen Zhang, Ya-Qing Yang, Jun Chen, Lei Zhang. 2023-05-25. Photogalvanic effect induced charge and spin photocurrent in group-V monolayer systems. https://arxiv.org/abs/2305.16032

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

arXiv2026

Towards ultra-scaled nanoelectronics using the zipper material system $Bi_2O_2Se/Bi_2SeO_5$

Two-dimensional (2D) materials could overcome the scaling bottleneck of nanoelectronics by enabling atomically thin channels, superior electrostatic control, and reduced short-channel effects. However, progress is limited by the lack of semiconductor–insulator interfaces being simultaneously scalable, stable, and reliable. Conventional 2D interfaces are often low quality or require transferring dissimilar materials, limiting reproducibility and scalability. We show that the zipper heterostructure formed by the high-mobility 2D semiconductor Bi 2 O 2 Se and its native high- κ oxide Bi 2 SeO 5 addresses these challenges, providing an atomically sharp, chemically matched interface with excellent electrostatics and promising scaling potential. We further present the first comprehensive multiscale assessment of Bi 2 O 2 Se/Bi 2 SeO 5 transistors targeting thermal stability, reliability, and scalability by linking atomic-scale structure and defects to device-level behavior across four transistor generations (top-gated, fin, and two gate-all-around architectures). Benchmarking against IRDS-2035 targets indicates that Bi 2 O 2 Se/Bi 2 SeO 5 devices could deliver high drive current with low gate leakage under aggressive scaling, potentially surpassing the targets in the upper-bound region of the sensitivity analysis. Finally, we identify oxygen-related oxide defects as the dominant origin of hysteresis consistent with a beneficial role of encapsulation and oxygen-rich annealing. Together, our findings support the potential of this zipper material system as a technologically-credible and manufacturing-relevant platform for future nanoelectronics.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2026

Influence of Heterogeneity on the Response of Architected Metamaterials

Architected metamaterials like foams and lattices exhibit complex responses governed by microstructural instabilities, localization, and phase-transition-like phenomena. Their behavior is further affected by heterogeneities inherent in their microstructure often caused through manufacturing processes. In this study we extend a gradient-enhanced, nonlocal continuum formulation to incorporate stochastic material heterogeneity through Gaussian random fields imposed on selected constitutive parameters. The framework enables independent control of both the amplitude and spatial correlation of material fluctuations while preserving thermodynamic consistency and regularization of localization. It also introduces a characteristic lengthscale ratio between the nonlocal and correlation lengthscales, that enables modeling at the limit of random or spatially correlated microstructures. Finite element simulations of confined compression and indentation show that heterogeneity fundamentally alters phase nucleation, localization morphology, and macroscopic response. Overall, the proposed framework provides a unified approach for linking stochastic material variability to instability-driven mechanics in architected metamaterials, enabling improved understanding of imperfection sensitivity, stability and design. It showcases how heterogeneity alone can influence characteristic features of the response, such as stability, slope of the plateau region, and elimination of the initial elastic regime.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2026

Structural, electronic, and optical properties of hexagonal GeSn from density functional theory

Unlike cubic GeSn, which undergoes an indirect-to-direct bandgap transition only above a finite Sn concentration, lonsdaleite (2H) germanium is an intrinsic direct-gap semiconductor. We employ first-principles density functional theory to investigate the structural, electronic, and optical properties of 2H-Ge$_{1-x}$Sn$_{x}$ random alloys in the dilute Sn regime ($x \le 0.10$). Substitutional disorder is modeled using 48-atom special quasirandom structure (SQS) supercells, and the coherent effective band structure is recovered via spectral band unfolding. We show that the semiconducting alloy configurations retain a direct bandgap at the $Γ$ point, with a moderate, nearly linear reduction of the bandgap in the dilute regime that shifts the fundamental absorption edge toward the mid-infrared. As the gap approaches zero, its calculated value becomes increasingly sensitive to the atomic configuration and supercell size. Evaluation of the optical transition matrix elements shows that the polarization anisotropy characteristic of pristine 2H-Ge remains observable under dilute Sn alloying. Although alloy disorder relaxes the crystal selection rules, the band edge response remains dominated by light polarized perpendicular to the crystal $c$ axis, whereas the parallel component remains weaker. These results identify dilute hexagonal GeSn as a tunable direct-gap system with a strongly polarization-dependent optical response in the infrared.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗