Quadrupolar photovoltaic effect in the terahertz range in a two-dimensional spin-3/2 hole system

Abstract

We identify a strong photovoltaic response due to the non-linear optical transition between heavy and light hole sub-bands enabled by T d -symmetry in a quantum well, which we term the quadrupolar photovoltaic effect (QPE). The photovoltaic current exhibits a strong resonance in the vicinity of the heavy hole-light hole splitting, with a magnitude governed by the momentum relaxation time, which can reach nanoseconds in GaAs holes. Since the heavy hole-light hole splitting can be tuned from a few meV to nearly 100 meV the QPE could serve as the basis for a terahertz photo-detector. We discuss strategies for experimental observation and device applications.