In:
Applied Physics Letters, AIP Publishing, Vol. 106, No. 5 ( 2015-02-02)
Abstract:
We propose and demonstrate a nanoscale vacuum-tube diode triggered by few-cycle near-infrared laser pulses. It represents an ultrafast electronic device based on light fields, exploiting near-field optical enhancement at surfaces of two metal nanotips. The sharper of the two tips displays a stronger field-enhancement, resulting in larger photoemission yields at its surface. One laser pulse with a peak intensity of 4.7 × 1011 W/cm2 triggers photoemission of ∼16 electrons from the sharper cathode tip, while emission from the blunter anode tip is suppressed by 19 dB to ∼0.2 electrons per pulse. Thus, the laser-triggered current between two tips exhibit a rectifying behavior, in analogy to classical vacuum-tube diodes. According to the kinetic energy of the emitted electrons and the distance between the tips, the total operation time of this laser-triggered nanoscale diode is estimated to be below 1 ps.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0003-6951
,
1077-3118
Language:
English
Publisher:
AIP Publishing
Publication Date:
2015
detail.hit.zdb_id:
211245-0
detail.hit.zdb_id:
1469436-0
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