Abstract
Tunnelling is a quantum mechanical effect which becomes significant in plasmonic systems with nanogap regions. In a system of closely spaced metal nanoparticles plasmon tunnelling plays an important role in the transfer of energy and hence governs the optical properties of the system. Plasmon assisted tunnelling through a system depends on the skin depth of the material in consideration, which in turn is controlled by the wavelength of incident light. Here, we present, ‘gradient potential dependent skin-depth theory (GPST)’ explaining resonant plasmons assisted tunnelling through metal nanoparticles for the operating wavelength of 1.1 μm. For a system of silver nanodisk dimer with sub-nanometer interparticle distance, the nanogap region between adjacent nanodisks give rise to gradient potential forming the tunnelling zone and is verified by finite difference time domain computational method. The energy eigenvalues and corresponding eigen frequencies are obtained for the dimer system. The proposed GPST can predict the behaviour of plasmon tunnel diode, plasmonic Josephson junction assisted superconductivity, plasmon tunnelled field-effect transistors etc. significantly improving the performance of integrated circuits.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Avrutsky, I., Zhao, Y., Kochergin, V.: Surface-plasmon-assisted resonant tunnelling of light through a periodically corrugated thin metal film. Opt. Lett. 25(9), 595–597 (2000)
Chen, P.Y., Hajizadegan, M., Sakhdari, M., Alu, A.: Giant photoresponsivity of midinfrared hyperbolic metamaterials in the photon-assisted-tunnelling regime. Phys. Rev. Appl. 5(4), 041001
de Abajo, F.J.G., Gomez-Santos, G., Blanco, L.A., Borisov, A.G., Shabanov, S.V.: Tunneling mechanism of light transmission through metallic films. Phys. Rev. Lett. 95(6), 067403 (2005)
de Vega, S., de Abajo, F.J.G.: Plasmon generation through electron tunnelling in graphene. ACS Photon. 4(9), 2367–2375 (2017)
Garg, M., Kern, K.: Attosecond coherent manipulation of electrons in tunnelling microscopy. Science 367(6476), 411–415 (2020)
Haes, A.J., Van Duyne, R.P.: A nanoscale optical biosensor: sensitivity and selectivity of an approach based on the localized surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy of triangular silver nanoparticles. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 124(35), 10596–10604 (2002)
Huang, L., Maerkl, S.J., Martin, O.J.: Integration of plasmonic trapping in a microfluidic environment. Opt. Express 17(8), 6018–6024 (2009)
Huang, J.S., Callegari, V., Geisler, P., Brüning, C., Kern, J., Prangsma, J.C., Wu, X., Feichtner, T., Ziegler, J., Weinmann, P., Kamp, M.: Atomically flat single-crystalline gold nanostructures for plasmonic nanocircuitry. Nat. Commun. 1(1), 1–8 (2010)
Lan, Y.C., Chang, Y.C., Lee, P.H.: Manipulation of tunnelling frequencies using magnetic fields for resonant tunnelling effects of surface plasmons. Appl. Phys. Lett. 90(17), 171114 (2007)
Lan, Y.C., Chang, C.J., Lee, P.H.: Resonant tunnelling effects on cavity-embedded metal film caused by surface-plasmon excitation. Opt. Lett. 34(1), 25–27 (2009)
Liu, W.C., Tsai, D.P.: Optical tunnelling effect of surface plasmon polaritons and localized surface plasmon resonance. Phys. Rev. B 65(15), 155423 (2002)
Liu, S., Wolf, M., Kumagai, T.: Plasmon-assisted resonant electron tunneling in a scanning tunneling microscope junction. Phys. Rev. Lett. 121, 226802–226801 (2018)
Maier, S.A., Brongersma, M.L., Kik, P.G., Meltzer, S., Requicha, A.A.G., Atwater, H.A.: Plasmonics—a route to nanoscale optical devices. Adv. Mater. 13(9), 1501–1505 (2001)
Makarenko, K.S., Hoang, T.X., Duffin, T.J., Radulescu, A., Kalathingal, V., Lezec, H.J., Chu, H.S., Nijhuis, C.A.: Efficient surface plasmon polariton excitation and control over outcoupling mechanisms in metal–insulator–metal tunneling junctions. Adv. Sci. 7(8), 1900291 (2020)
Martin-Moreno, L., Garcia-Vidal, F.J., Lezec, H.J., Pellerin, K.M., Thio, T., Pendry, J.B., Ebbesen, T.W.: Theory of extraordinary optical transmission through subwavelength hole arrays. Phys. Rev. Lett. 86(6), 1114–1117 (2001)
Nagel, P.M., Robinson, J.S., Harteneck, B.D., Pfeifer, T., Abel, M.J., Prell, J.S., Neumark, D.M., Kaindl, R.A., Leone, S.R.: Surface plasmon assisted electron acceleration in photoemission from gold nanoparticles. Chem. Phys. 414, 106–111 (2013)
Park, J., Kim, H., Lee, I.M., Kim, S., Jung, J., Lee, B.: Resonant tunnelling of surface plasmon polariton in the plasmonic nano-cavity. Opt. Express 16(21), 16903–16915 (2008)
Popov, E., Neviere, M., Enoch, S., Reinisch, R.: Theory of light transmission through subwavelength periodic hole arrays. Phys. Rev. B 62(23), 16100–16108 (2000)
Pshenichnyuk, I.A., Nazarikov, G.I., Kosolobov, S.S., Maimistov, A.I., Drachev, V.P.: Edge-plasmon assisted electro-optical modulator. Phys. Rev. B 100(19), 195434 (2019)
Ramazani, A., Shayeganfar, F., Jalilian, J., Fang, N.X.: Exciton-plasmon polariton coupling and hot carrier generation in two-dimensional SiB semiconductors: a first-principles study. Nanophotonics 9(2), 337–349 (2020)
Schaadt, D.M., Feng, B., Yu, E.T.: Enhanced semiconductor optical absorption via surface plasmon excitation in metal nanoparticles. Appl. Phys. Lett. 86(6), 063106 (2005)
Sidorenko, S., Martin, O.J.F.: Resonant tunnelling of surface plasmon-polaritons. Opt. Express 15(10), 6380–6388 (2007)
Smith, W.C., Kou, A., Xiao, X., Vool, U., Devoret, M.H.: Superconducting circuit protected by two-Cooper-pair tunnelling. NPJ Quant. Inf. 6(1), 1–9 (2020)
Stellacci, F., Bauer, C.A., Meyer-Friedrichsen, T., Wenseleers, W., Alain, V., Kuebler, S.M., Pond, S.J.K., Zhang, Y., Marder, S.R., Perry, J.W.: Laser and electron-beam induced growth of nanoparticles for 2D and 3D metal patterning. Adv. Mater. 14(3), 194–198 (2002)
Stockman, M.I.: Nanoplasmonics: the physics behind the applications. Phys. Today 64(2), 39–44 (2011)
Stolz, A., Berthelot, J., Mennemanteuil, M.M., Colas des Francs, G., Markey, L., Meunier, V., Bouhelier, A.: Nonlinear photon-assisted tunnelling transport in optical gap antennas. Nano Lett. 14(5), 2330–2338 (2014)
Svintsov, D., Devizorova, Z., Otsuji, T., Ryzhii, V.: Plasmons in tunnel-coupled graphene layers: backward waves with quantum cascade gain. Phys. Rev. B 94(11), 115301 (2016)
Uskov, A.V., Khurgin, J.B., Protsenko, I.E., Smetanin, I.V., Bouhelier, A.: Excitation of plasmonic nanoantennas by nonresonant and resonant electron tunnelling. Nanoscale 8(30), 14573–14579 (2016)
Wang, G., Lu, H., Liu, X., Mao, D., Duan, L.: Tunable multi-channel wavelength demultiplexer based on MIM plasmonic nanodisk resonators at telecommunication regime. Opt. Express 19(4), 3513–3518 (2011)
Wang, P., Krasavin, A.V., Nasir, M.E., Dickson, W., Zayats, A.V.: Reactive tunnel junctions in electrically driven plasmonic nanorod metamaterials. Nat. Nanotechnol. 13(2), 159–164 (2018)
Xiao, S., Mortensen, N.A.: Resonant-tunnelling-assisted crossing for subwavelength plasmonic slot waveguides. Opt. Express 16(19), 14997–15005 (2008)
Xu, C., Li, C., Jin, Y.: Programmable organic-free negative differential resistance memristor based on plasmonic tunnel junction. Small 16(34), 2002727 (2020)
Acknowledgements
Authors gratefully acknowledge the support of “TIFAC-Center of Relevance and Excellence in Fiber Optics and Optical Communication” at Delhi College of Engineering, Delhi, through Mission Reach Program of Technology Vision 2020, Government of India and Sharda University for providing various resources.”
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dillu, V., Rani, P., Kalra, Y. et al. Plasmon assisted tunnelling through silver nanodisk dimer‐optical properties and quantum effects. Opt Quant Electron 53, 260 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11082-021-02866-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11082-021-02866-3