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Optical rectification and thermal currents in optical tunneling gap antennas.
Marie Maxime Mennemanteuil1, Mickaël Buret1, Gérard Colas-des-Francs1
1Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Carnot de Bourgogne CNRS UMR 6303, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 21000 Dijon, France.
Nanophotonics (Berlin, Germany)
|September 19, 2022
Summary
Optical gap antennas convert light to electricity. This study differentiates thermal effects from electronic transport in these nanoscale devices, using electromigrated setups to analyze photo-response.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Optoelectronics
- Solid State Physics
Background:
- Electrically-contacted optical gap antennas are nanoscale devices that convert photons to electrons.
- These devices typically use metal elements to capture and rectify electromagnetic radiation into direct-current (DC) electrical signals.
- Light absorption in metals can induce thermal effects, complicating the understanding of the device's overall photo-response.
Purpose of the Study:
- To distinguish the impact of laser-induced thermo-electric effects from photo-assisted electronic transport in optical gap antennas.
- To provide a clearer understanding of the complete photo-response mechanisms in these nanoscale devices.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing electromigrated devices for analysis.
- Investigating the photo-assisted electronic transport phenomena.
- Differentiating thermal contributions from electronic signals.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated the ability to discriminate between thermal and electronic contributions to the photo-response.
- Provided insights into the role of laser-induced thermo-electric effects.
Conclusions:
- Understanding thermo-electric effects is crucial for optimizing optical gap antenna performance.
- Electromigration is a viable technique for fabricating and studying these nanoscale devices.
