Generation and modulation of multiple 2D bulk photovoltaic effects in space-time reversal asymmetric 2H-FeCl₂

Abstract

The two-dimensional (2D) bulk photovoltaic effect (BPVE) is a cornerstone for future highly efficient 2D solar cells and optoelectronics. The ferromagnetic semiconductor 2H-FeCl₂ is shown to realize a new type of BPVE in which spatial inversion (P), time reversal (T), and space−time reversal (PT) symmetries are broken (PT-broken). Using density functional theory and perturbation theory, we show that 2H-FeCl₂ exhibits giant photocurrents, photo-spin-currents, and photo-orbital-currents under illumination by linearly polarized light. The injection-like and shift-like photocurrents coexist and propagate in different directions. The material also demonstrates substantial photoconductance, photo-spin-conductance, and photo-orbital-conductance, with magnitudes up to 4650 (nm·μA/V²), 4620 [nm·μA/V² \hslash/(2e)], and 6450 (nm·μA/V² \hslash/e), respectively. Furthermore, the injection-currents, shift-spin-currents, and shift-orbital-currents can be readily switched via rotating the magnetizations of 2H-FeCl₂. These results demonstrate the superior performance and intriguing control of a new type of BPVE in 2H-FeCl₂.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

2D ferromagnetism / bulk photovoltaic effects / photo-spin-currents / photo-orbital-currents / nonlinear optoelectronics

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Declarations

The authors declare that they have no competing interests and there are no conflicts.

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 52275565 and 62075139), the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (No. ZR2022QA019), the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong (No. 2022A1515011667), the Youth Talent Fund of Guangdong Province (No. 2023A1515030292), Shenzhen Foundation Research Key Project (No. JCYJ20200109114244249), and Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission (No. RCJC20200714114435063).

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