Investigation of optical and electrical properties of metal-insulator-metal devices
Abstract/Contents
- Abstract
- Internal photoemission is a process where optically excited electrons transit from one medium to another before the electrons relax to their equilibrium energy. Demand for new ways of utilizing light, either for energy collection or signal transmission in all-optical-circuits, is driving reemerging interest in these "hot electrons", especially in metal-insulator-metal (MIM) structures due to their simple configuration and facile integration with optical systems. In this work, we investigate the electrical and optical properties of MIM devices used for energy collection and wavelength determination through hot carrier extraction. First, we develop a new method of electrical power generation based on optical absorption in MIM devices. This method takes advantage of internal photoemission at the metal-insulator interface to produce power through collection of high-energy hot carriers. Using a metal as the absorber is advantageous compared to traditional semiconductors as it can absorb over wider spectrum, though there are still significant challenges to making hot carrier devices practical. Second, we report a new method for electromagnetic wavelength determination using simple MIM devices. In addition to power generation applications, hot electrons from MIM devices create a unique monotonic dependence of open-circuit voltage on wavelength. We demonstrate this open circuit voltage is power-independent and use this characteristic to deconvolve multi-spectral signals by a single device, the first reported MIM device for wavelength detection. Third, we introduce nanogratings on the MIM device surface to excite surface plasmons by direct illumination. We are able to enhance the absorption from the intense field in the devices to boost the hot carrier collection efficiency. We present both theoretical and experimental results illustrating the possibility of broadband photocurrent enhancement. Fourth, we report an unusual photocurrent negative differential resistance (NDR) in the MIM device. Mid-gap states in the band gap of the insulator caused by low-temperature atomic layer deposition (ALD) lead to the abnormal photocurrent characteristics. We develop a model to interpret this unusual photocurrent NDR behavior.
Description
| Type of resource | text |
|---|---|
| Form | electronic; electronic resource; remote |
| Extent | 1 online resource. |
| Publication date | 2013 |
| Issuance | monographic |
| Language | English |
Creators/Contributors
| Associated with | Wang, Fuming |
|---|---|
| Associated with | Stanford University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering. |
| Primary advisor | Melosh, Nicholas A |
| Thesis advisor | Melosh, Nicholas A |
| Thesis advisor | Brongersma, Mark L |
| Thesis advisor | Dionne, Jennifer Anne |
| Advisor | Brongersma, Mark L |
| Advisor | Dionne, Jennifer Anne |
Subjects
| Genre | Theses |
|---|
Bibliographic information
| Statement of responsibility | Fuming Wang. |
|---|---|
| Note | Submitted to the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. |
| Thesis | Thesis (Ph.D.)--Stanford University, 2013. |
| Location | electronic resource |
Access conditions
- Copyright
- © 2013 by Fuming Wang
- License
- This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 3.0 Unported license (CC BY-NC).
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