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Tang J, Guo Q, Wu Y, Ge J, Zhang S, Xu H. Light-Emitting Plasmonic Tunneling Junctions: Current Status and Perspectives. ACS NANO 2024; 18:2541-2551. [PMID: 38227821 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c08628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Quantum tunneling, in which electrons can tunnel through a finite potential barrier while simultaneously interacting with other matter excitation, is one of the most fascinating phenomena without classical correspondence. In an extremely thin metallic nanogap, the deep-subwavelength-confined plasmon modes can be directly excited by the inelastically tunneling electrons driven by an externally applied voltage. Light emission via inelastic tunneling possesses a great potential application for next-generation light sources, with great superiority of ultracompact integration, large bandwidth, and ultrafast response. In this Perspective, we first briefly introduce the mechanism of plasmon generation in the inelastic electron tunneling process. Then the state of the art in plasmonic tunneling junctions will be reviewed, particularly emphasizing efficiency improvement, precise construction, active control, and electrically driven optical antenna integration. Ultimately, we forecast some promising and critical prospects that require further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jibo Tang
- School of Physics and Technology and Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Quanbing Guo
- Wuhan Institute of Quantum Technology, Wuhan 430206, China
| | - Yu Wu
- School of Physics and Technology and Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Junhao Ge
- School of Physics and Technology and Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Shunping Zhang
- School of Physics and Technology and Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
- Wuhan Institute of Quantum Technology, Wuhan 430206, China
| | - Hongxing Xu
- School of Physics and Technology and Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
- Wuhan Institute of Quantum Technology, Wuhan 430206, China
- School of Microelectronics, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
- Henan Academy of Sciences, Zhengzhou, Henan 450046 China
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2
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Ruggenthaler M, Sidler D, Rubio A. Understanding Polaritonic Chemistry from Ab Initio Quantum Electrodynamics. Chem Rev 2023; 123:11191-11229. [PMID: 37729114 PMCID: PMC10571044 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
In this review, we present the theoretical foundations and first-principles frameworks to describe quantum matter within quantum electrodynamics (QED) in the low-energy regime, with a focus on polaritonic chemistry. By starting from fundamental physical and mathematical principles, we first review in great detail ab initio nonrelativistic QED. The resulting Pauli-Fierz quantum field theory serves as a cornerstone for the development of (in principle exact but in practice) approximate computational methods such as quantum-electrodynamical density functional theory, QED coupled cluster, or cavity Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics. These methods treat light and matter on equal footing and, at the same time, have the same level of accuracy and reliability as established methods of computational chemistry and electronic structure theory. After an overview of the key ideas behind those ab initio QED methods, we highlight their benefits for understanding photon-induced changes of chemical properties and reactions. Based on results obtained by ab initio QED methods, we identify open theoretical questions and how a so far missing detailed understanding of polaritonic chemistry can be established. We finally give an outlook on future directions within polaritonic chemistry and first-principles QED.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Ruggenthaler
- Max-Planck-Institut
für Struktur und Dynamik der Materie, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
- The
Hamburg Center for Ultrafast Imaging, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dominik Sidler
- Max-Planck-Institut
für Struktur und Dynamik der Materie, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
- The
Hamburg Center for Ultrafast Imaging, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Angel Rubio
- Max-Planck-Institut
für Struktur und Dynamik der Materie, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
- The
Hamburg Center for Ultrafast Imaging, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
- Center
for Computational Quantum Physics, Flatiron Institute, 162 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10010, United States
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3
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Willeford K. The Luminescence Hypothesis of Olfaction. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:1333. [PMID: 36772376 PMCID: PMC9919928 DOI: 10.3390/s23031333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
A new hypothesis for the mechanism of olfaction is presented. It begins with an odorant molecule binding to an olfactory receptor. This is followed by the quantum biology event of inelastic electron tunneling as has been suggested with both the vibration and swipe card theories. It is novel in that it is not concerned with the possible effects of the tunneled electrons as has been discussed with the previous theories. Instead, the high energy state of the odorant molecule in the receptor following inelastic electron tunneling is considered. The hypothesis is that, as the high energy state decays, there is fluorescence luminescence with radiative emission of multiple photons. These photons pass through the supporting sustentacular cells and activate a set of olfactory neurons in near-simultaneous timing, which provides the temporal basis for the brain to interpret the required complex combinatorial coding as an odor. The Luminescence Hypothesis of Olfaction is the first to present the necessity of or mechanism for a 1:3 correspondence of odorant molecule to olfactory nerve activations. The mechanism provides for a consistent and reproducible time-based activation of sets of olfactory nerves correlated to an odor. The hypothesis has a biological precedent: an energy feasibility assessment is included, explaining the anosmia seen with COVID-19, and can be confirmed with existing laboratory techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Willeford
- Coastal Carolinas Integrated Medicine, 10 Doctors Circle, STE 2, Supply, NC 28462, USA
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4
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Nian LL, Wang T, Lü JT. Plasmon Squeezing in Single-Molecule Junctions. NANO LETTERS 2022; 22:9418-9423. [PMID: 36449564 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c03371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Scanning tunneling microscope (STM)-induced luminescence provides an ideal platform for electrical generation and the atomic-scale manipulation of nonclassical states of light. However, despite its extreme importance in quantum technologies, squeezed light emission with reduced quantum fluctuations has hitherto not been demonstrated in such a platform. Here, we theoretically predict that the emitted light from the plasmon mode can be squeezed in an STM single molecular junction subject to an external laser drive. Going beyond the traditional paradigm that generates squeezing with the quadratic interaction of photons, our prediction explores the molecular coherence involved in an anharmonic energy spectrum of a coupled plasmon-molecule-exciton system. Furthermore, we show that, by selectively exciting the energy ladder, the squeezed plasmon can show either sub- or super-Poissonian statistical properties. We also demonstrate that, following the same principle, the molecular excitonic mode can be squeezed simultaneously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei-Lei Nian
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Yunnan University, 650091Kunming, People's Republic of China
| | - Tao Wang
- School of Physics, Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering, and Wuhan National High Magnetic Field Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430074Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing-Tao Lü
- School of Physics, Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering, and Wuhan National High Magnetic Field Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430074Wuhan, People's Republic of China
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5
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Ke Y, Kaspar C, Erpenbeck A, Peskin U, Thoss M. Nonequilibrium reaction rate theory: Formulation and implementation within the hierarchical equations of motion approach. J Chem Phys 2022; 157:034103. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0098545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of chemical reactions in environments under nonequilibrium conditions has been of interest recently in a variety of contexts, including current-induced reactions in molecular junctions and scanning tunneling microscopy experiments. In this work, we outline a fully quantum mechanical, numerically exact approach to describe chemical reaction rates in such nonequilibrium situations. The approach is based on an extension of the flux correlation function formalism to nonequilibrium conditions and uses a mixed real and imaginary time hierarchical equations of motion approach for the calculation of rate constants. As a specific example, we investigate current-induced intramolecular proton transfer reactions in a molecular junction for different applied bias voltages and molecule-lead coupling strengths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaling Ke
- Institute of Physics, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Uri Peskin
- Chemistry, Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Israel
| | - Michael Thoss
- University of Freiburg Institute of Physics, Germany
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6
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Zhou S, Chen K, Cole MT, Li Z, Li M, Chen J, Lienau C, Li C, Dai Q. Ultrafast Electron Tunneling Devices-From Electric-Field Driven to Optical-Field Driven. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2021; 33:e2101449. [PMID: 34240495 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202101449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The search for ever higher frequency information processing has become an area of intense research activity within the micro, nano, and optoelectronics communities. Compared to conventional semiconductor-based diffusive transport electron devices, electron tunneling devices provide significantly faster response times due to near-instantaneous tunneling that occurs at sub-femtosecond timescales. As a result, the enhanced performance of electron tunneling devices is demonstrated, time and again, to reimagine a wide variety of traditional electronic devices with a variety of new "lightwave electronics" emerging, each capable of reducing the electron transport channel transit time down to attosecond timescales. In response to unprecedented rapid progress within this field, here the current state-of-the-art in electron tunneling devices is reviewed, current challenges and opportunities are highlighted, and possible future research directions are identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenghan Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanophotonic Materials and Devices, CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Ke Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanophotonic Materials and Devices, CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Matthew Thomas Cole
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Zhenjun Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanophotonic Materials and Devices, CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Mo Li
- School of Electronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, P. R. China
| | - Jun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Display Material and Technology, School of Electronics and Information Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, P. R. China
| | - Christoph Lienau
- Institut für Physik, Center of Interface Science, Carl von Ossietzky Universität, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Chi Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanophotonic Materials and Devices, CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Qing Dai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanophotonic Materials and Devices, CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
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7
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Nian LL, Wang T, Zhang ZQ, Wang JS, Lü JT. Effective Control of Photon Statistics from Electroluminescence by Fano-like Interference Effect. J Phys Chem Lett 2020; 11:8721-8726. [PMID: 32996769 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c02586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The photon blockade induced by optical nonlinearity has been widely used to generate single-photon emission under optical driving in quantum optics. However, the same approach is difficult to achieve in electrically driven molecular junctions. Here we propose a scheme for tuning photon statistics via Fano-like interference effect in a system consisting of two molecules within one optical cavity. Under electrical pumping, a transition from photon bunching to antibunching takes place as a manifestation of the Fano-like interference. This effect persists even in the presence of the dipole-dipole interaction between molecules based on the parameters extracted from the experiments. Our proposal can be realized in current-carrying scanning tunneling microscope junctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei-Lei Nian
- School of Physics and Wuhan National High Magnetic Field Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430074 Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Tao Wang
- School of Physics and Wuhan National High Magnetic Field Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430074 Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Zu-Quan Zhang
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117551, Republic of Singapore
| | - Jian-Sheng Wang
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117551, Republic of Singapore
| | - Jing-Tao Lü
- School of Physics and Wuhan National High Magnetic Field Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430074 Wuhan, People's Republic of China
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8
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Wang T, Nian LL, Lü JT. Nonthermal vibrations in biased molecular junctions. Phys Rev E 2020; 102:022127. [PMID: 32942477 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.102.022127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
We study vibrational statistics in current-carrying model molecular junctions using a master equation approach. In particular, we concentrate on the validity of using an effective temperature T_{eff} to characterize the nonequilibrium steady state of a vibrational mode. We identify cases in which a single T_{eff} cannot fully describe one vibrational state. In such cases, the probability distribution among different vibrational states does not follow the Boltzmann type. Consequently, the actual entropy (free energy) of the vibrational mode is lower (higher) than the corresponding thermal value given by T_{eff}, indicating extra work can be extracted from these states. Our results will be useful for the study of a nonthermal vibrational state in the thermodynamics of nanoscale systems, and its usage in nanoscale heat engines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Wang
- School of Physics and Wuhan National High Magnetic Field Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei-Lei Nian
- School of Physics and Wuhan National High Magnetic Field Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing-Tao Lü
- School of Physics and Wuhan National High Magnetic Field Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, People's Republic of China
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9
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Filippone M, Marguerite A, Le Hur K, Fève G, Mora C. Phase-Coherent Dynamics of Quantum Devices with Local Interactions. ENTROPY (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 22:E847. [PMID: 33286618 PMCID: PMC7517448 DOI: 10.3390/e22080847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This review illustrates how Local Fermi Liquid (LFL) theories describe the strongly correlated and coherent low-energy dynamics of quantum dot devices. This approach consists in an effective elastic scattering theory, accounting exactly for strong correlations. Here, we focus on the mesoscopic capacitor and recent experiments achieving a Coulomb-induced quantum state transfer. Extending to out-of-equilibrium regimes, aimed at triggered single electron emission, we illustrate how inelastic effects become crucial, requiring approaches beyond LFLs, shedding new light on past experimental data by showing clear interaction effects in the dynamics of mesoscopic capacitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Filippone
- Department of Quantum Matter Physics, University of Geneva 24 Quai Ernest-Ansermet, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Arthur Marguerite
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel;
| | - Karyn Le Hur
- CPHT, CNRS, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Route de Saclay, 91128 Palaiseau, France;
| | - Gwendal Fève
- Laboratoire de Physique de l’Ecole Normale Supérieure, ENS, Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, F-75005 Paris, France;
| | - Christophe Mora
- Laboratoire Matériaux et Phénomènes Quantiques, CNRS, Université de Paris, F-75013 Paris, France;
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10
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Rosławska A, Leon CC, Grewal A, Merino P, Kuhnke K, Kern K. Atomic-Scale Dynamics Probed by Photon Correlations. ACS NANO 2020; 14:6366-6375. [PMID: 32479059 PMCID: PMC7315641 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c03704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Light absorption and emission have their origins in fast atomic-scale phenomena. To characterize these basic steps (e.g., in photosynthesis, luminescence, and quantum optics), it is necessary to access picosecond temporal and picometer spatial scales simultaneously. In this Perspective, we describe how state-of-the-art picosecond photon correlation spectroscopy combined with luminescence induced at the atomic scale with a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) enables such studies. We outline recent STM-induced luminescence work on single-photon emitters and the dynamics of excitons, charges, molecules, and atoms as well as several prospective experiments concerning light-matter interactions at the nanoscale. We also describe future strategies for measuring and rationalizing ultrafast phenomena at the nanoscale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Rosławska
- Max-Planck-Institut
für Festkörperforschung, Heisenbergstraße 1, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Christopher C. Leon
- Max-Planck-Institut
für Festkörperforschung, Heisenbergstraße 1, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Abhishek Grewal
- Max-Planck-Institut
für Festkörperforschung, Heisenbergstraße 1, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Pablo Merino
- Max-Planck-Institut
für Festkörperforschung, Heisenbergstraße 1, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
- Instituto
de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, c/Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, E28049 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto
de Física Fundamental, CSIC, Serrano 121, E28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Klaus Kuhnke
- Max-Planck-Institut
für Festkörperforschung, Heisenbergstraße 1, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Klaus Kern
- Max-Planck-Institut
für Festkörperforschung, Heisenbergstraße 1, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
- Institut
de Physique, École Polytechnique
Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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