Strong photon-mixing of terahertz waves in semiconductor quantum wells induced by Rashba spin-orbit coupling

Authors

Feng Gao, University of WollongongFollow
Guoxiu Wang, University of WollongongFollow
Chao Zhang, University of WollongongFollow

RIS ID

24589

Publication Details

Gao, F., Wang, G. and Zhang, C. (2008). Strong photon-mixing of terahertz waves in semiconductor quantum wells induced by Rashba spin-orbit coupling. Nanotechnology, 19 (46), 465401-1-465401-3.

Abstract

We demonstrate that due to the Rashba spin-orbit coupling in semiconductor quantum wells, there is strong photo-mixing by mobile carriers in the terahertz frequency regime. The third order nonlinear current is of the same order of magnitude as the linear order current for an electric field intensity of 104 V cm-1 at frequency around 1 THz, a situation easily achievable in a laboratory system. Unlike other nonlinear effects, the nonlinear current density due to the spin-orbit coupling is inversely proportional to the concentration of mobile carriers.