AI Article Synopsis
- Quantum tunneling allows electrons to pass through barriers while interacting with matter, revealing unique behaviors not explained by classical physics.
- In extremely thin metallic gaps, tunneling electrons can excite confined plasmon modes, leading to potential advancements in compact, high-performance light sources.
- The article reviews current developments in plasmonic tunneling junctions, focusing on enhancing efficiency and control, while also highlighting future research opportunities in this field.
Article Abstract
Quantum tunneling, in which electrons can tunnel through a finite potential barrier while simultaneously interacting with other matter excitation, is one of the most fascinating phenomena without classical correspondence. In an extremely thin metallic nanogap, the deep-subwavelength-confined plasmon modes can be directly excited by the inelastically tunneling electrons driven by an externally applied voltage. Light emission via inelastic tunneling possesses a great potential application for next-generation light sources, with great superiority of ultracompact integration, large bandwidth, and ultrafast response. In this Perspective, we first briefly introduce the mechanism of plasmon generation in the inelastic electron tunneling process. Then the state of the art in plasmonic tunneling junctions will be reviewed, particularly emphasizing efficiency improvement, precise construction, active control, and electrically driven optical antenna integration. Ultimately, we forecast some promising and critical prospects that require further investigation.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.3c08628 | DOI Listing |
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