Nonlinear optical conductance from photon-assisted tunneling in a nanoantenna-coupled tunnel diode

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that photon-assisted tunneling in a nanoantenna-coupled tunnel diode induces significant nonlinear currents, enabling rectification and harmonic generation, with potential for tailored infrared resonances in nonlinear optical devices.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach to nonlinear conductance via photon-assisted tunneling in a metasurface-coupled tunnel diode, expanding the understanding of nonlinear phenomena beyond traditional susceptibility.

Findings

Large nonlinear dynamic currents observed

Enhanced electric field confinement in the infrared

Potential for tailored resonances in nonlinear optical applications

Abstract

Ultrafast photon-assisted tunneling is shown to lead to large nonlinear dynamic currents that can be used to generate dc rectified current as well as higher order harmonic response from a metasurface-coupled tunnel diode. This artificial nonlinear media can have tailored resonances in the infrared around the longitudinal optical phonon modes of various compatible restrahlen oxides leading to enhanced electric field confinement in a metal-oxide-semiconductor tunnel diode. This provides a new avenue for the examination and design of nonlinear phenomena extending the concept of nonlinear susceptibility to nonlinear conductance and the dynamic current in these devices.