Spin-momentum locked interaction between guided photons and surface electrons in topological insulators.

ABSTRACT: The propagation of electrons and photons can respectively have the spin-momentum locking effect which correlates spin with linear momentum. For surface electrons in three-dimensional topological insulators (TIs), their spin is locked to the transport direction. Analogously, photons in optical waveguides carry transverse spin angular momentum which is also locked to the propagation direction. A direct connection between electron and photon spins occurs in TIs due to spin-dependent selection rules of optical transitions. Here we demonstrate an optoelectronic device that integrates a TI with a photonic waveguide. Interaction between photons in the waveguide and surface electrons in a Bi₂Se₃ layer generates a directional, spin-polarized photocurrent. Because of spin-momen

SUBMITTER: Luo S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5732163 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature