Anomalous nonlinear terahertz transmission of photoexcited carbon nanotubes

We demonstrate that free-standing multi-walled carbon nanotubes exhibit extraordinary nonlinear terahertz responses upon optical excitation. Terahertz transmission of the photoexcited nanotubes rises in a narrow range of intermediate intensity with increasing intensity, while falling in the regime of low and high intensities. A theoretical analysis shows that the nanotube conductivity drops sharply in the region of intermediate intensity and soars elsewhere. Field-effect mobility and field-induced carrier multiplications are considered to be competing processes governing the rise and fall of the conductivity.