We demonstrate theoretically that an off-resonant circularly polarized electromagnetic field can induce a persistent current in carbon nanotubes, which corresponds to electron rotation about the nanotube axis. As a consequence, the nanotubes acquire magnetic moment along the axis, which depends on their crystal structure and can be detected in state-of-the-art measurements. This effect and related phenomena are analyzed within the developed Floquet theory describing the electronic properties of the nanotubes irradiated by the field.
@article{arxiv.2104.13738,
title = {Optically induced persistent current in carbon nanotubes},
author = {O. V. Kibis and M. V. Boev and V. M. Kovalev},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2104.13738},
year = {2021}
}