Hot Carrier Generation in Metallic Nanostructures: Mechanisms and Novel Devices

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dc.contributor.advisorHalas, Naomi Jen_US
dc.creatorZheng, Boben_US
dc.date.accessioned2017-08-03T17:12:31Zen_US
dc.date.available2017-08-03T17:12:31Zen_US
dc.date.created2016-05en_US
dc.date.issued2016-04-21en_US
dc.date.submittedMay 2016en_US
dc.date.updated2017-08-03T17:12:31Zen_US
dc.description.abstractHot carrier generation in metallic nanostructures offers a potential route to circumventing thermodynamic efficiencies of traditional light-harvesting devices and structures. However, previous experimental realizations of hot electron devices have shown low photo-conversion efficiencies. Several theoretical works have sought to understand the fundamental processes behind hot carrier generation and explore routes toward increasing the carrier generation efficiency. In this thesis, we discriminate between hot carrier generation from interband transitions and surface plasmons by comparing photocurrent generation in Schottky and ohmic devices. By comparing the functional form of the two types of photocurrent generation, we show that hot carrier generation in metallic nanostructures obeys the field intensity inside the metallic nanostructure, paving the way towards more efficient plasmon-induced hot carrier devices. Next, I focus on plasmonic photodetectors for the mid-IR spectral region, a technologically and scientifically important spectral region where molecular vibrational resonances exist. Despite the significance of the mid-IR, the low energy of mid-IR photons poses significant challenges for efficient photodetection and light emission. We circumvent the limitations of traditional mid-IR photodetectors by exploiting hot carrier generation in metals and demonstrate a novel uncooled CMOS-compatible photodetector for the middle wave infrared (mid-IR) spectral region.en_US
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen_US
dc.identifier.citationZheng, Bob. "Hot Carrier Generation in Metallic Nanostructures: Mechanisms and Novel Devices." (2016) Diss., Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/96561">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/96561</a>.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/96561en_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.rightsCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.en_US
dc.subjectPlasmonicsen_US
dc.subjectnanophotonicsen_US
dc.subjectdevice physicsen_US
dc.subjecthot carrier physicsen_US
dc.titleHot Carrier Generation in Metallic Nanostructures: Mechanisms and Novel Devicesen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
dc.type.materialTexten_US
thesis.degree.departmentElectrical and Computer Engineeringen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineEngineeringen_US
thesis.degree.grantorRice Universityen_US
thesis.degree.levelDoctoralen_US
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophyen_US
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