The plasmoelectric effect: optically induced electrochemical potentials in resonant metallic structures

TL;DR

The paper introduces the plasmoelectric effect, a novel method for converting optical power into DC electricity using resonant metallic nanostructures, with potential for efficient, broadband optoelectronic devices.

Contribution

It presents a thermodynamic model and design for a plasmoelectric device that achieves over 14% efficiency in converting optical power to electrical power.

Findings

Predicted 14.3% conversion efficiency at 1 kW/m^2 intensity.

Model of a silver nanosphere-based device demonstrating the effect.

Discussion of strategies for efficiency enhancement and broadband applications.

Abstract

We describe a strategy for conversion of optical power into DC electrical power using resonant absorption in plasmonic nanostructures. A thermodynamic analysis of the underlying mechanism motivates our description of the phenomenon, which we term the plasmoelectric effect. Power conversion results from the dependence of optically generated heat on shifts of the plasmon resonance frequency that occur with changes of electron density. We model an all-metal device constructed from 10 nm radius silver spheres and predict a characteristic conversion efficiency of 14.3% under 1 kW m-2 intensity, single-frequency radiation. We discuss strategies for enhanced efficiency, broadband power conversion, and further applications of this new class of optoelectronic device.