Guo Qianqian, Zhang Huilin, Zhao Haijun, Ding Youyi, Hu Yidan, Zhu Shu, Wen Xinyu, Deng Shikai, Wang Tao, Du Wei
Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, P. R. China.
Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, P. R. China.
Nano Lett. 2024 Aug 7;24(31):9720-9726. doi: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c02523. Epub 2024 Jul 25.
Surface plasmons excited via inelastic tunnelling have led to plasmon light sources with small footprints and ultrafast response speeds, which are favored by integrated optical circuits. Self-assembled monolayers of organic molecules function as highly tunable tunnel barriers with novel functions. However, limited by the low effective contact between the liquid metal electrode and the self-assembled monolayers, it is quite challenging to obtain molecular plasmon light sources with high density and uniform emission. Here, by combining lithographic patterning with a solvent treatment method, we have demonstrated electrically driven deterministic plasmon emission from arrays of molecular tunnel junctions. The solvent treatment could largely improve the effective contact from 9.6% to 48% and simultaneously allow the liquid metal to fill into lithographically patterned micropore structures toward deterministic plasmon emission with desired patterns. Our findings open up new possibilities for tunnel junction-based plasmon light sources, laying the foundation for electrically driven light-emitting metasurfaces.
通过非弹性隧穿激发的表面等离子体激元已带来了具有小尺寸和超快响应速度的等离子体光源，这受到集成光学电路的青睐。有机分子的自组装单分子层作为具有新颖功能的高度可调谐隧道势垒发挥作用。然而，受限于液态金属电极与自组装单分子层之间的低有效接触，获得具有高密度和均匀发射的分子等离子体光源颇具挑战性。在此，通过将光刻图案化与溶剂处理方法相结合，我们展示了来自分子隧道结阵列的电驱动确定性等离子体发射。溶剂处理可将有效接触从9.6%大幅提高至48%，同时使液态金属填充到光刻图案化的微孔结构中，以实现具有所需图案的确定性等离子体发射。我们的发现为基于隧道结的等离子体光源开辟了新的可能性，为电驱动发光超表面奠定了基础。
