Light‐field and spin‐orbit‐driven currents in van der Waals materials

This review aims to provide an overview over recent developments of light‐driven currents with a focus on their application to layered van der Waals materials. In topological and spin‐orbit dominated van der Waals materials helicity‐driven and light‐field‐driven currents are relevant for nanophotonic applications from ultrafast detectors to on‐chip current generators. The photon helicity allows addressing chiral and non‐trivial surface states in topological systems, but also the valley degree of freedom in two‐dimensional van der Waals materials. The underlying spin‐orbit interactions break the spatiotemporal electrodynamic symmetries, such that directed currents can emerge after an ultrafast laser excitation. Equally, the light‐field of few‐cycle optical pulses can coherently drive the transport of charge carriers with sub‐cycle precision by generating strong and directed electric fields on the atomic scale. Ultrafast light‐driven currents may open up novel perspectives at the interface between photonics and ultrafast electronics.