Photon drag effect in carbon nanotube yarns

Abstract

We demonstrate that in graphitic nanocarbon materials, combination of ballistic conductivity and strong electron photon coupling opens a unique opportunity to observe transfer of momentum of the electromagnetic radiation to free carriers. The resulting drag of quasiballistically propagating electrons can be employed, in particular, to visualize the temporal profile, polarization, and propagation direction of the laser pulse. In this letter, we report the giant photon drag effect in yarns made of multiwall carbon nanotubes.