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    Quantum well thickness dependent two-color terahertz emission and nonlinear optical conductivity evolution in two-dimensional perovskites

    Xiao Liang, Yixuan Zhou*, Yayan Xi, Xueqin Cao, Yuanyuan Huang, and Xinlong Xu†

    • Shaanxi Joint Lab of Graphene, State Key Laboratory of Photon-Technology in Western China Energy, International Collaborative Center on Photoelectric Technology and Nano Functional Materials, Institute of Photonics & Photon-Technology, School of Physics, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China

    • *Contact author: yxzhou@nwu.edu.cn
    • †Contact author: xlxuphy@nwu.edu.cn

    Phys. Rev. B 114, 065432 – Published 30 July, 2026

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/j9z4-5t1c

    Abstract

    The quantum well thickness—defined by the number of inorganic layers (n)—is a pivotal structural parameter that governs the optoelectronic properties of two-dimensional (2D) perovskites. Despite the established role of quantum well thickness in modulating linear optical responses, the influence on the nonlinear optical conductivity remains largely unexplored. Herein, we report a systematic investigation of terahertz (THz) emission from (PEA)2(MA)n−1PbnI3n+1 perovskite thin films with controlled quantum well thicknesses (n=1−4 and ∞) under normal-incidence excitation by a two-color laser field (800 + 400 nm). Our measurements reveal a pronounced inverse correlation between n and THz emission efficiency, directly attributable to enhanced quantum and dielectric confinement at reduced layer numbers. Spectroscopic analysis confirms that the emission arises from a third-order nonlinear optical process, wherein transient photocurrents are generated via quantum interference between single-photon and two-photon absorption pathways. Polarization-resolved THz emission spectroscopy enables quantitative mapping of the nonlinear optical conductivity tensor across the 2D-to-3D structural transition. Notably, by structurally tuning the quantum well thickness n and dynamically controlling the relative polarization angle of the two-color field, we achieve control over the magnitude and direction of the injection photocurrent—and consequently, the polarity of the emitted THz field. This work establishes THz emission spectroscopy as a powerful, contact-free probe of third-order nonlinear conductivity in low-dimensional quantum materials and underscores the promise of 2D perovskites as highly tunable platforms for next-generation THz emitters and nonlinear optoelectronic devices.

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