Mesoscopic Free Path of Nonthermalized Photogenerated Carriers in a Ferroelectric Insulator.

We show how finite-size scaling of a bulk photovoltaic effect-generated electric field in epitaxial ferroelectric insulating BaTiO3(001)films and a photo-Hall response involving the bulk photovoltaic current reveal a large room-temperature mean free path of photogenerated nonthermalized electrons. Experimental determination of mesoscopic ballistic optically generated carrier transport opens a new paradigm for hot electron-based solar energy conversion, and for facile control of ballistic transport distinct from existing low-dimensional semiconductor interfaces, surfaces, layers, or other structures.