Photogalvanic effect and photoconductance in a quantum channel with a single short-range scatterer

Abstract

The influence of electromagnetic radiation on the electron transport in a quantum channel with a single short-range scatterer is investigated using a generalized Landauer-Buttiker approach. We have shown that asymmetrical position of the scatterer leads to appearance of the direct photocurrent in the system. The dependence of the photocurrent on the electron chemical potential, the position of the scatterer, and the frequency of the radiation is studied. We have shown that the photocurrent and the photoconductance oscillate as functions of the electron chemical potential. The nature of oscillations is discussed.