Stochastic model showing a transition to self-controlled particle-deposition state induced by optical near-fields

TL;DR

This paper presents a stochastic model that captures a phase transition in particle deposition driven by optical near-fields, explaining experimental observations of self-controlled Ag film formation under specific light conditions.

Contribution

The study generalizes existing cellular automaton models to include optical near-field effects, revealing a critical transition in deposition behavior induced by light power.

Findings

Identifies a critical light power threshold for transition to self-controlled deposition.

Shows optical near-fields are essential for nontrivial deposition states.

Establishes a phase transition analogy in a nonequilibrium surface process.

Abstract

We study a stochastic model for the self-controlled particle-deposition process induced by optical near-fields. This process was experimentally realized by Yukutake et al. on an electrode of a novel photovoltaic device as Ag deposition under light illumination, in which the wavelength of incident light is longer than the long-wavelength cutoff of the materials composing the device. Naruse et al. introduced a stochastic cellular automaton model to simulate underlying nonequilibrium processes which are necessary to formulate unique granular Ag film in this deposition process. In the present paper, we generalize their model and clarify the essential role of optical near-fields generated on the electrode surface. We introduce a parameter $b$ indicating the incident light power per site and a function representing the resonance effect of optical near-fields depending on the Ag-cluster size on the surface. Numerical simulation shows a transition from a trivial particle-deposition state to a nontrivial self-controlled particle-deposition state at a critical value $b_{\rm c}$, and only in the latter state optical near-fields are effectively generated. The properties of transition in this mesoscopic surface model in nonequilibrium are studied by the analogy of equilibrium phase transitions associated with critical phenomena, and the criteria of transition are reported.