Nonlinear circular valley photogalvanic effect

Abstract: We develop a theory of circular photogalvanic effect in non-gyrotropic two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers under interband optical transitions. Oblique incidence of circularly-polarized electromagnetic field or normal incidence of elliptically polarized electromagnetic field is assumed. In contrast to the linear-in-intensity conventional photogalvanic effect, the effect considered here arises in the second intensity order. The effect is conditioned by i) the predominant population of the valleys by the circular in-plane electromagnetic field component and ii) the direct drift of the photo-excited carriers by the linear-polarized in-plane electromagnetic field component in the presence of trigonal valley asymmetry.