Giant Nonlinear Photon-Drag Currents in Moiré Bilayers

Fuente: arXiv
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Hauptverfasser: Lu, Zhuocheng, Qian, Zhuang, Guo, Zhichao, Shi, Likun, Liu, Shi, Wang, Hua, Chang, Kai
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2025
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author Lu, Zhuocheng
Qian, Zhuang
Guo, Zhichao
Shi, Likun
Liu, Shi
Wang, Hua
Chang, Kai
author_facet Lu, Zhuocheng
Qian, Zhuang
Guo, Zhichao
Shi, Likun
Liu, Shi
Wang, Hua
Chang, Kai
contents The bulk photovoltaic effect provides a fundamental pathway for direct light-to-current conversion in quantum materials. However, these nonlinear currents are often strictly constrained or forbidden by crystal symmetries, hindering their exploration in a broader range of materials. While the nonlinear photon-drag effect leverages finite photon momentum to circumvent these constraints, its investigation has been largely confined to toy models, lacking a robust numerical framework for realistic materials. Here, we develop a unified microscopic theory of nonlinear photon-drag currents formulated within a geometric-loop framework, providing both a transparent quantum-geometric interpretation and numerical tractability. Applying this formalism to twisted bilayer graphene (TBG), we demonstrate that a finite, in-plane photon momentum can trigger massive nonlinear responses, rivaling the giant photovoltaic currents reported in typical 2D materials. These currents exhibit high tunability via photon wavevector, twist angle, and light polarization. Our work not only provides a generalized framework for momentum-dependent light-matter interactions but also establishes the nonlinear photon-drag effect as a potent mechanism for unlocking unprecedented optoelectronic functionalities beyond the limitations of the conventional bulk photovoltaic effect.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2511_16987
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Giant Nonlinear Photon-Drag Currents in Moiré Bilayers
Lu, Zhuocheng
Qian, Zhuang
Guo, Zhichao
Shi, Likun
Liu, Shi
Wang, Hua
Chang, Kai
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Materials Science
The bulk photovoltaic effect provides a fundamental pathway for direct light-to-current conversion in quantum materials. However, these nonlinear currents are often strictly constrained or forbidden by crystal symmetries, hindering their exploration in a broader range of materials. While the nonlinear photon-drag effect leverages finite photon momentum to circumvent these constraints, its investigation has been largely confined to toy models, lacking a robust numerical framework for realistic materials. Here, we develop a unified microscopic theory of nonlinear photon-drag currents formulated within a geometric-loop framework, providing both a transparent quantum-geometric interpretation and numerical tractability. Applying this formalism to twisted bilayer graphene (TBG), we demonstrate that a finite, in-plane photon momentum can trigger massive nonlinear responses, rivaling the giant photovoltaic currents reported in typical 2D materials. These currents exhibit high tunability via photon wavevector, twist angle, and light polarization. Our work not only provides a generalized framework for momentum-dependent light-matter interactions but also establishes the nonlinear photon-drag effect as a potent mechanism for unlocking unprecedented optoelectronic functionalities beyond the limitations of the conventional bulk photovoltaic effect.
title Giant Nonlinear Photon-Drag Currents in Moiré Bilayers
topic Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.16987