Bulk photovoltaic effect in homogeneous ferroelectrics

Abstract

The mechanism of the bulk photovoltaic effect in the pyroelectric phase, based on taking into account the effective electron-electron interaction, is proposed. It is supposed that light absorption, accompanied by electron transfer (interband or from impurity) to the conduction band, results in an increase of a dipole moment for every electron transferred. The homogeneous component of the total dipole moment results in an increase in the electric field, acting on excited electrons and causing the electric current. Consideration of the problem is carried out on the base of the kinetic equation.