Network analysis of Weyl semimetal photogalvanic systems

Abstract

We develop a general methodology capable of analyzing the response of Weyl semimetal (WSM) photogalvanic networks. Both single-port and multiport configurations are investigated via extended versions of Norton’s theorem. An equivalent circuit model is provided where the photogalvanic currents induced in these gapless topological materials can be treated as polarization-dependent sources. To illustrate our approach, we carry out transport simulations in arbitrarily shaped configurations involving pertinent WSMs. Our analysis indicates that the photogalvanic currents collected in a multi-electrode system directly depend on the geometry of the structure as well as on the excitation and polarization pattern of the incident light. Our results could be helpful in designing novel optoelectronic systems that make use of the intriguing features associated with WSMs.