Three-dimensional analysis of the geometrical rectifying properties of asymmetric metal-vacuum-metal junctions and extension for energy conversion

Mayer, A.; Chung, M. S.; Weiss, Brandon; Miskovsky, N. M.; Cutler, P.H.

doi:10.1103/physrevb.77.085411

Cited by 19 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…[1][2][3][4][5] This rectification results from the application of oscillating potentials to these junctions, which will induce the circulation of currents with a strong dc component if the materials can respond to these oscillating potentials. [1][2][3][4][5] This rectification results from the application of oscillating potentials to these junctions, which will induce the circulation of currents with a strong dc component if the materials can respond to these oscillating potentials.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Energy is transferred in this process from the source of the external potentials to the electrons that cross the junction. 1,2,[17][18][19][20][21] In practice, the junction biasing will typi-cally result from a laser beam whose energy is partially absorbed by a nanoantenna placed in series or integrated with the junction. [6][7][8][9][10][11] They also enabled the accurate measurement of infrared frequencies [12][13][14] and contributed to applications as fundamental as the measurement of the speed of light 15,16 and the determination of tunneling times.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…17,27 The rectification achieved by the junction will depend in turn on the possibility for electrons to cross the junction before the induced electric field changes sign. [1][2][3][4][5] In this way, we solve the time-dependent electronic scattering problem exactly, by taking account of the three-dimensional aspects of the problem. [17][18][19]28,29 By carefully designing these junctions, it is actually possible to rectify optical frequencies as demonstrated by recent experimental work.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1 The relation (B2) is a consequence of the reciprocity of the S-matrix. (B1) in the case of a static barrier.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Analysis of the efficiency with which geometrically asymmetric metal–vacuum–metal junctions can be used for the rectification of infrared and optical radiations

Mayer

Chung

Lerner

et al. 2012

Journal of Vacuum Science &Amp; Technology B, Nanotechnology and Microelectronics: Materials, Processing, Measurement, and Phen

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Articles you may be interested inClassical and quantum responsivities of geometrically asymmetric metal-vacuum-metal junctions used for the rectification of infrared and optical radiations Efficient optical coupling into metal-insulator-metal plasmon modes with subwavelength diffraction gratings Appl. Phys. Lett. 92, 113109 (2008); 10.1063/1.2898509Consideration of switching mechanism of binary metal oxide resistive junctions using a thermal reaction model Appl. Phys. Lett. 90, 033503 (2007); 10.1063/1.2431792 Schottky emission at the metal polymer interface and its effecton the polarization switching of ferroelectric poly(vinylidenefluoride-trifluoroethylene) copolymer thin films Asymmetry and rectification in the tunnel current of a nanometer-sized metal-conjugated polymer-metal junctionThe authors simulate the rectification properties of geometrically asymmetric metal-vacuum-metal junctions in which one of the metals is flat while the other is extended by a sharp tip. The authors analyze, in particular, the efficiency with which the energy of incident radiations, with frequencies in the infrared through the visible, is transferred to the electrons that cross the junction. This timedependent electronic scattering problem is solved by using a transfer-matrix methodology. In order to validate this technique, the results achieved by using this quantum-mechanical scheme are compared with those provided by models that are based on extrapolations of static current-voltage data. The authors then discuss concepts that are relevant to the efficiency with which energy is converted in these junctions. The authors finally analyze how this efficiency is affected by the amplitude and the angular frequency of the potentials that are induced in these junctions, the work function of the metallic contacts and the spacing between these contacts.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1 The relation (B2) is a consequence of the reciprocity of the S-matrix. (B1) in the case of a static barrier.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Analysis of the efficiency with which geometrically asymmetric metal–vacuum–metal junctions can be used for the rectification of infrared and optical radiations

Mayer

Chung

Lerner

et al. 2012

Journal of Vacuum Science &Amp; Technology B, Nanotechnology and Microelectronics: Materials, Processing, Measurement, and Phen

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“…Because of their geometrical asymmetry, these systems act as rectifiers when 3 Author to whom any correspondence should be addressed. subject to an oscillating bias [2][3][4][5][6] and their main applications have essentially included the detection, the rectification and the frequency mixing of infrared radiation [7][8][9][10][11][12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rectification properties of geometrically asymmetric metal–vacuum–metal junctions: a comparison of tungsten and silver tips to determine the effects of polarization resonances

Mayer

Cutler

2009

J. Phys.: Condens. Matter

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We simulate with a transfer-matrix methodology the rectification properties of geometrically asymmetric metal-vacuum-metal junctions in which one of the metals is flat while the other is extended by a tip. We consider both tungsten and silver as the material for the tip and we study the influence of the dielectric function of these materials on the rectification properties of the junction. We determine in particular the power that these junctions could provide to an external load when subject to a bias whose typical frequency is in the infrared or optical domain. We also study the rectification ratio of these junctions, which characterizes their ability to rectify the external bias by providing currents with a strong dc component. The results show that these quantities exhibit a significant enhancement for frequencies Ω that correspond to a resonant polarization of the tip. With silver and the geometry considered in this paper, this arises for [Formula: see text] values of the order of 3.1 eV in the visible range. Our results hence indicate that the frequency at which the device is the most efficient for the rectification of external signals could be controlled by the geometry or the material used for the tip.

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Nanoscale Rectennas with Sharp Tips for Absorption and Rectification of Optical Radiation

Miskovsky

Cutler

Lerner³

et al. 2013

Rectenna Solar Cells

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Three-dimensional analysis of the geometrical rectifying properties of asymmetric metal-vacuum-metal junctions and extension for energy conversion

Cited by 19 publications

References 27 publications

Analysis of the efficiency with which geometrically asymmetric metal–vacuum–metal junctions can be used for the rectification of infrared and optical radiations

Analysis of the efficiency with which geometrically asymmetric metal–vacuum–metal junctions can be used for the rectification of infrared and optical radiations

Rectification properties of geometrically asymmetric metal–vacuum–metal junctions: a comparison of tungsten and silver tips to determine the effects of polarization resonances

Nanoscale Rectennas with Sharp Tips for Absorption and Rectification of Optical Radiation

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