Helicity-dependent photocurrent in the resistive Ag/Pd films excited by IR laser radiation

It is shown that in resistive Ag/Pd films manufactured according to the thick-film technology, in the case of oblique incidence of laser radiation of nanosecond duration at a wavelengths of 1350 – 2100 nm, a photon-drag photocurrent arises in the direction perpendicular to the plane of incidence, dependent on the ellipticity and sign of circular polarisation of incident radiation. This photocurrent consists of the so-called circular and linear contributions, which are, respectively, dependent on and independent of the sign of circular polarisation. In this wavelength range, the amplitude of the circular contribution is many times greater than that of the linear contribution. The results allow the use of resistive Ag/Pd films for the development and manufacture of innovative sensors of the sign of circular polarisation of pulsed laser radiation, operating in a wide spectral range.