Open AccessOptical Coulomb blockade lifting in plasmonic nanoparticle dimers
Author(s) -
Dmitry Sivun,
Thomas A. Klar
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.384301
Subject(s) - plasmon , electric field , coulomb blockade , nanoparticle , coulomb , quantum tunnelling , materials science , optoelectronics , terahertz radiation , optics , condensed matter physics , dipole , physics , nanotechnology , voltage , quantum mechanics , transistor , electron
If two metal nanoparticles are ultimately approached, a tunneling current prevents both an infinite redshift of the bonding dipolar plasmon and an infinite increase of the electric field in the hot spot between the nanoparticles. We argue that a Coulomb blockade suppresses the tunneling current and sustains a redshift even for sub-nanometer approach up to moderate fields. Only for stronger optical fields, the Coulomb blockade is lifted and a charge transfer plasmon is formed. Numerical simulations show that such scenarios are well in reach with manageable nanoparticle dimensions, even at room temperature. Applications may include ultrafast, optically driven switches, photo detectors operating at 500 THz, or highly nonlinear devices.