Photocurrents in Weyl semimetals

Abstract

The discovery of topological matter should be an opportunity for revolutionizing electronic devices. Nevertheless, for all their unique properties, to date there are limited feasible devices or applications based on topological materials. The work here recognizes that topological Weyl semimetal materials, through their protected gap closing and spin-orbit locking, could be used to detect low-frequency infrared radiation. Detecting infrared light electrically beyond a ten-micron wavelength is rather difficult with few ready made commercial solutions. The authors find that Weyl semimetals could provide an ideal solution for detecting mid- and far-infrared light even at room temperature. In this work, they describe the conditions of the materials to be effective photodetectors (noncentrosymmetry, doping levels etc.) and provide a detailed analysis of this photovoltaic effect.