Cited by 39Plasmonic and Surface Plasmon ResearchLaser-Matter Interactions and ApplicationsPhotocathodes and Microchannel Plates

Plasmonic nanostar photocathodes for optically-controlled directional currents

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Abstract

Plasmonic nanocathodes offer unique opportunities for optically driving, switching, and steering femtosecond photocurrents in nanoelectronic devices and pulsed electron sources. However, angular photocurrent distributions in nanoplasmonic systems remain poorly understood and are therefore difficult to anticipate and control. Here, we provide a direct momentum-space characterization of multiphoton photoemission from plasmonic gold nanostars and demonstrate all-optical control over these currents. Versatile angular control is achieved by selectively exciting different tips on single nanostars via laser frequency or linear polarization, thereby rotating the tip-aligned directional photoemission as observed with angle-resolved 2D velocity mapping and 3D reconstruction. Classical plasmonic field simulations combined with quantum photoemission theory elucidate the role of surface-mediated nonlinear excitation for plasmonic field enhancements highly concentrated at the sharp tips (Rtip = 3.4 nm). We thus establish a simple mechanism for femtosecond spatiotemporal current control in designer nanosystems.

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Crossref · 10.1038/s41467-020-15115-0

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  • Spatial symmetries in plasmonic hot spot regions influence vector momentum distributions of photoexcited carriers, enabling optical generation and active control of directional transient currents down to the nanoscale.

    “Corresponding spatial symmetries in these hot spot regions influence the vector momentum distributions of photoexcited carriers187,189,190, leading to new capabilities for optically generating and actively controlling directional transient currents down to the nanoscale.”

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Authors
Pettine, J., Choo, P., Medeghini, F., Odom, T. W., & Nesbitt, D. J.
Affiliations
  • National Institute of Standards and Technology (US)
  • Northwestern University (US)
Corresponding author
  • Odom, Teri W.
  • Nesbitt, David J.
Venue
Nature Communications
Published
2020-03-13
Volume
11
Issue
1
Pages
1367-1367
ISSN
2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3010652009
Cited by
39
References
47
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 2
FWCI
2.28
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Communications (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • United States Department of Defense | United States Air Force | AFMC | Air Force Office of Scientific Research (FA9550-15-1-0090)
  • National Science Foundation (CHE 1665271, PHY 1734006)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Plasmonic and Surface Plasmon Research
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Laser-Matter Interactions and Applications
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Photocathodes and Microchannel Plates
Keywords
photocathodes, multiphoton photoemission, gold nanostars, laser frequency control, velocity mapping, 3D reconstruction, plasmonic field enhancement, pulsed electron source, nanoelectronics

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