Theory for electron transport in the THz regime

At present there is great progress in the use of THz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) to analyse the time-resolved carrier dynamics in materials and devices. The powerful experimental techniques can e.g. provide insights into the AC conductivity of bulk materials without using electrical contacts. Combining THz-TDS with scanning probe techniques it has been possible to obtain information about electronic and atomic dynamics even at the atomic level. The THz ultrafast control of current on the atomic scale is believed to be essential for future electronic applications - so-called "light-wave" electronics.

However, the great progress in experimental techniques is not matched by theoretical understanding and modelling capabilities. The classical Drude-theory used so far to understand experiments does not give insights into the atomic scale behavior of the electrons. 

The aim of this proposal is to provide atomistic quantum theory which can be compared to the experiments for nano-scale conductors. We will consider the (1) THz conductance response of different defects in two-dimensional materials, and/or (2)  the resulting currents in a scanning probe experiment from THz radiation.