Weyl semimetal integrated three-unit polarimeters

Abstract

The unique topology of Weyl semimetals’ band structure has been recently shown to lead to a host of novel optoelectronic properties. Among them is the prospect of polarization-dependent photocurrents, most notably the circular photogalvanic effect arising from the spin texture of the Weyl cones in the presence of symmetry breaking. Here we show that these helicity-dependent photocurrent processes can be employed to realize fully integrated polarimetric detection systems. In this respect, a TaAs-based polarimeter is demonstrated involving three pixels that can uniquely map the polarization state of light on the Poincaré sphere. Our work could enable a class of optoelectronic devices that directly respond to the polarization of incident light, while paving the way toward a better understating of light–matter interactions in Weyl semimetals.