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Dissipative Hot-Spot-Enabled Shock and Bounce Dynamics via Terahertz Quantum Quenches in Helical Edge States
Xinghai Zhang1, Matthew S Foster1,2
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA.
Abstract:
We study quantum quenches of helical liquids with spin-flip inelastic scattering. Counterpropagating charge packets in helical edges can be created by an ultrashort electric pulse applied across a 2D topological insulator. Localized "hot spots" that form due to scattering enable two types of strongly nonlinear wave dynamics. First, propagating packets develop self-focusing shock fronts. Second, colliding packets with opposite charge can exhibit near-perfect retroreflection, despite strong dissipation. This leads to frequency doubling that could be detected experimentally from emitted terahertz radiation.
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