Non-local terahertz photoconductivity in the topological phase of Hg1−xCdxTe

Abstract

We report on observation of strong non-local photoconducitivity induced by terahertz laser pulses in non-zero magnetic field in heterostructures based on Hg1−xCdxTe films being in the topological phase. While the zero-field non-local photoconductivity is negligible, it is strongly enhanced in magnetic fields ~ 0.05 T resulting in appearance of an edge photocurrent that exceeds the respective dark signal by orders of magnitude. This photocurrent is chiral, and the chirality changes every time the magnetic field or the electric bias is reversed. Appearance of the non-local terahertz photoconductivity is attributed to features of the interface between the topological film and the trivial buffer.