The nonlinear Hall effect (NLHE) can induce optical anisotropy by modifying a material's dielectric tensor, presenting opportunities for novel characterization and device applications. While the magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) probes the linear Hall effect (LHE) in magnetic materials, an analogous optical probe for NLHE in non-magnetic, time-reversal symmetric systems remains highly desirable. Here, we theoretically propose and investigate an NLHE-induced Electro-optic Kerr Effect (EOKE) as such a probe. Focusing on monolayer (ML) WTe2, a prototypical NLHE material, our analysis considers contributions from Berry curvature dipole (BCD), Drude, injection, and shift mechanisms. We demonstrate that the EOKE signal in WTe2 is predominantly governed by the BCD. Furthermore, the Kerr angle exhibits temporal oscillations at different optical frequencies, suggesting EOKE as a promising route for the time-resolved detection of NLHE and the dynamic investigation of material topology.
@article{arxiv.2507.10309,
title = {Electro-optic Kerr Effect Induced by Nonlinear Transport in monolayer WTe2},
author = {He-Lin Li and Zhen-Gang Zhu and Gang Su},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2507.10309},
year = {2025}
}