Photon-drag in single-walled carbon nanotube and silver-palladium films: the effect of polarization

Abstract

Polarization influence on the photovoltaic current raised due to the photon-drag effect in the single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) films and nanostructured silver-palladium (Ag/Pd) resistive films is examined at the wavelengths of 532 and 1064 nm of nanosecond laser pulses. The SWNT films were synthesized by the aerosol chemical vapor deposition technique. Ag/Pd films, consisting of AgPd alloy and palladium oxide (PdO), were prepared by burning a special paste on a ceramic substrate. The films obtained were characterized by Raman spectroscopy. It is shown that the Ag/Pd films Raman spectra consist of PdO peak that moves from 650 cm−1 to 628 cm−1 as the excitation He-Ne laser power increases. The photocurrent was measured at the oblique incidence of the laser beam on the film in the direction perpendicular to the plane of incidence. It is found that the transverse photocurrent in the SWNT films at circular polarization is absent and does not depend on the direction of the electric field vector rotation (the sign of the circular polarization) of the incident irradiation. The photocurrent in the Ag/Pd films at circular polarized irradiation is significant and depends on the circular polarization sign. The results obtained demonstrate the potential applications of the Ag/Pd resistive films as a sensor of the circular polarization sign of the incident light pulse in a wide wavelength range.