title: Generation and electric control of spin-valley-coupled circular photogalvanic current in WSe2.
abstract: The valley degree of freedom in layered transition-metal dichalcogenides provides an opportunity to extend the functionalities of spintronics and valleytronics devices. The achievement of spin-coupled valley polarization induced by the non-equilibrium charge-carrier imbalance between two degenerate and inequivalent valleys has been demonstrated theoretically and by optical experiments. However, the generation of a valley and spin current with the valley polarization in transition-metal dichalcogenides remains elusive. Here we demonstrate a spin-coupled valley photocurrent, within an electric-double-layer transistor based on WSe2, whose direction and magnitude depend on the degree of circular polarization of the incident radiation and can be further modulated with an external electric field. This room-temperature generation and electric control of a valley and spin photocurrent provides a new property of electrons in transition-metal dichalcogenide systems, and thereby enables additional degrees of control for quantum-confined spintronic devices.
authors.affiliation: 1] Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA [2] Stanford Institute for Materials and Energy Sciences, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA.
authors.forename: Hongtao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: 1] State Key Laboratory of Artificial Microstructure and Mesoscopic Physics, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China [2] Collaborative Innovation Centre of Quantum Matter, Beijing 100871, China.
authors.forename: Xinqiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA.
authors.forename: Biao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lian
authors.affiliation: Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA.
authors.forename: Haijun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: 1] State Key Laboratory of Artificial Microstructure and Mesoscopic Physics, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China [2] Collaborative Innovation Centre of Quantum Matter, Beijing 100871, China.
authors.forename: Xianfa
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: 1] State Key Laboratory of Artificial Microstructure and Mesoscopic Physics, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China [2] Collaborative Innovation Centre of Quantum Matter, Beijing 100871, China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: 1] Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA [2] Stanford Institute for Materials and Energy Sciences, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA.
authors.forename: Shou-Cheng
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: 1] Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA [2] Stanford Institute for Materials and Energy Sciences, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA.
authors.forename: Harold Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: 1] Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA [2] Stanford Institute for Materials and Energy Sciences, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cui