Infrared-Enhanced Electron Emission from Nanoantennas (IREEN) (White paper tracking number: 638343625713295011)
Abstract
Mid-wave and long-wave infrared (MWIR and LWIR) wavelengths are crucial for Navy apÂplications such as surveillance, communications, and night vision. Traditional detectors such as HgCdTe and strained-layer superlattice (SLS) photon detectors, or microbolomeÂters face challenges like high Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) due to cryogenic cooling, limited sensitivity, or slow response times. In this work we will investigate an alternative approach to infrared detection at room temperature-InfraRed-Enhanced Electron EmisÂsion from Nanoantennas (IREEN). By using resonant metallic nanostructures coupled with nanoscale gaps for electron emission, IREEN will offer a viable alternative to IR detection that is both scalable and simple to fabricate using standard CMOS processing. IREEN s basic operating principle involves two key components for light detection. The first is a coupling of the optical electric field to resonant nanoantenna structures. The resonant coupling and confinement of the incoming energy results in a significantoptical field enhancement and thermal heating in the structure. The second component is the emission of electrons through a nanoscale vacuum gap between the absorbing nanoantenna and a collection structure. The strong fields and heating from the photon absorptionprocess cause a nonlinear increase in the baseline carrier emission rate through the nanoscale gap. At present, the dominant emission physics behind the carrier emission process (e.g. field driven vs. thermal-driven processes) underlying IREEN are not well understood. This lack of understanding impedes our ability to improve device detectivity as the dominant emission physics dictates the optimal device architecture of IREEN-based detectors. In this work, we will address open questions related to IREEN s device physics,particÂularly regarding the physics behind the carrier emission process in response to incoherent and continuous-wave excitation. We will use this improved understanding to inform de vice designs having detectivities that potentially exceed bolometric-based detectors by sevÂeral orders of magnitude at room temperature. The anticipated outcome of this program will be a sensitive IR detector operating at room temperature that is compact, high-speed, polarization-sensitive, and spectrally tunable through geometric patterning. If successful, our work will provide the Navy with a cutting-edge solution for sensitive room-temperature IR detection, with wide-ranging implications for national security and science.Approved for public release.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- May 15, 2024
- Source ID
- N000142412350
Entities
People
- Phillip D Keathley
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy