Reversal of Coherently Controlled Ultrafast Photocurrents by Band Mixing in Undoped GaAs Quantum Wells

It is demonstrated that valence-band mixing in GaAs quantum wells tremendously modifies electronic transport. A coherent control scheme in which ultrafast currents are optically injected into undoped GaAs quantum wells upon excitation with femtosecond laser pulses is employed. An oscillatory dependence of the injection current amplitude and direction on the excitation photon energy is observed. A microscopic theoretical analysis shows that this current reversal is caused by the coupling of the light- and heavy-hole bands and that the hole currents dominate the overall current response. These surprising consequences of band mixing illuminate fundamental physics as they are unique for experiments which are able to monitor electronic transport resulting from carriers with relatively large momenta.