Current injection by coherent one- and two-photon excitation in graphene and its bilayer

Abstract

Coherent control of optically injected carrier distributions in single and bilayer graphene allows the injection of electrical currents. Using a tight-binding model and Fermi’s golden rule, we derive the carrier and photocurrent densities achieved via interference of the quantum amplitudes for two-photon absorption at a fundamental frequency, ω, and one-photon absorption at the second harmonic, 2ω. Strong currents are injected under co-circular and linear polarizations. In contrast, opposite-circular polarization yields no net current. For single-layer graphene, the magnitude of the current is unaffected by the rotation of linear-polarization axes, in contrast with the bilayer and with conventional semiconductors. The dependence of the photocurrent on the linear-polarization axes is a clear and measurable signature of interlayer coupling in AB-stacked multilayer graphene. We also find that single and bilayer graphene exhibit a strong, distinct linear-circular dichroism in two-photon absorption.