Mesoscopic Free Path of Nonthermalized Photogenerated Carriers in a Ferroelectric Insulator

Phys Rev Lett. 2017 Mar 3;118(9):096601. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.096601. Epub 2017 Mar 1.

Abstract

We show how finite-size scaling of a bulk photovoltaic effect-generated electric field in epitaxial ferroelectric insulating BaTiO_{3}(001) films and a photo-Hall response involving the bulk photovoltaic current reveal a large room-temperature mean free path of photogenerated nonthermalized electrons. Experimental determination of mesoscopic ballistic optically generated carrier transport opens a new paradigm for hot electron-based solar energy conversion, and for facile control of ballistic transport distinct from existing low-dimensional semiconductor interfaces, surfaces, layers, or other structures.