Invited Paper
Quantum Plasmonics and Hot-Electron Induced Processes

Plasmon resonances with their dramatically enhanced cross sections for light harvesting can serve as efficient generators of hot electrons and holes. Such hot carriers can be exploited in a wide range of photophysical and photochemical processes. The physical mechanism for plasmon-induced hot carrier generation is plasmon decay. Plasmons can decay either radiatively or non-radiatively. The branching ratio between these two decay channels can be controlled by tuning the radiance of the plasmon mode. Non-radiative plasmon decay is a quantum mechanical process in which one plasmon quantum is transferred to the conduction electrons of the nanostructure by excitation of an electron below the Fermi level into a state above the Fermi level but below the vacuum level. In my talk I will discuss the basic mechanism of plasmon-induced hot carrier formation [1] and how hot carrier can induce a variety of applications ranging from photodetection,[2] photocatalysis,[3] and to dope or induce phase changes in nearby media.[4]

[1] A. Manjavacas et al., ACS Nano 8(2014)87630

[2] M. W. Knight et al., Science 332(2011)702; Nano Lett. 13(2013)1687;

Z.Y. Fang et al., Nano Lett 12(2012)3808; A. Sobhani et al., Nat. Comm. 4(2013)1643

[3] S. Mukherjee et al., Nano Lett. 13(2013)240; J. Am. Chem. Soc. 136(2014)64

[4] Z.Y. Fang et al., ACS Nano 6(2012)10222; Y. Kang et al., Adv. Mat 26(2014)6467

nordland@rice.edu