Inverse spin Hall photocurrent in thin-film WSe2

X Xin-Yuan Dai (School of Materials Science and Physics, China University of Mining and Technology 1 , Xuzhou 221116, Jiangsu,) X Xiao-Nan Zhang (School of Materials Science and Physics, China University of Mining and Technology 1 , Xuzhou 221116, Jiangsu,) M Meng Yuan X Xiang Li D Dan-Ni Shi (School of Materials Science and Physics, China University of Mining and Technology 1 , Xuzhou 221116, Jiangsu,) H Hao Li Z Zhi-Hao Zhang (School of Materials Science and Physics, China University of Mining and Technology 1 , Xuzhou 221116, Jiangsu,) L Ling-Xiu Chen (School of Materials Science and Physics, China University of Mining and Technology 1 , Xuzhou 221116, Jiangsu,) L Li-Wei Shi (School of Materials Science and Physics, China University of Mining and Technology 1 , Xuzhou 221116, Jiangsu,) Y Yang Zhang

Abstract

At room temperature, spin-dependent photocurrents were observed near the electrodes of few-layer WSe2 samples under circularly polarized light excitation. The spin photocurrent exhibits a bipolar distribution with opposite signs on the two sides of the same electrode. This phenomenon is attributed to the inverse spin Hall effect originating from photoexcited spin-polarized carriers. By tuning the parameters associated with spin-polarized carrier generation, the magnitude of the spin photocurrent can be effectively modulated. Our research shows that external field control significantly influences spin transport, providing a quantitative basis for the design of spin-photovoltaic and opto-spintronic devices based on two-dimensional materials.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 128, Issue 23
Published June 08, 2026
ISSN 0003-6951
Publisher American Institute of Physics

Journal Info

Applied Physics Letters

American Institute of Physics

ISSN: 0003-6951 Physical Sciences

Authors (10)

X

Xin-Yuan Dai

School of Materials Science and Physics, China University of Mining and Technology 1 , Xuzhou 221116, Jiangsu,

X

Xiao-Nan Zhang

School of Materials Science and Physics, China University of Mining and Technology 1 , Xuzhou 221116, Jiangsu,

M

Meng Yuan

X

Xiang Li

D

Dan-Ni Shi

School of Materials Science and Physics, China University of Mining and Technology 1 , Xuzhou 221116, Jiangsu,

H

Hao Li

Z

Zhi-Hao Zhang

School of Materials Science and Physics, China University of Mining and Technology 1 , Xuzhou 221116, Jiangsu,

L

Ling-Xiu Chen

School of Materials Science and Physics, China University of Mining and Technology 1 , Xuzhou 221116, Jiangsu,

L

Li-Wei Shi

School of Materials Science and Physics, China University of Mining and Technology 1 , Xuzhou 221116, Jiangsu,

Y

Yang Zhang