title: Aluminum nanoparticles for plasmon-improved coupling of light into silicon.
abstract: This paper investigates the improved photo-current response obtained by depositing Al nanoparticles on top of a Si diode. Well defined Al nanodiscs with a diameter and height of 100 nm are produced on the surface of a Si diode using electron-beam lithography, and the change in photo-current generation is characterized. A blue shift of the photo-current response is demonstrated, substantially improving the relation between gains and losses compared to what is typically observed in similar schemes using Ag nanoparticles. Enhanced photo-current response is observed in diodes with Al particles on the surface at all wavelengths larger than ≈465 nm, thereby minimizing the losses in the blue range usually reported with Ag nanoparticles on the surface.
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 120, Aarhus C, Denmark. tfv05@inano.au.dk
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Villesen
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Uhrenfeldt
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Johansen
authors.forename: J Lundsgaard
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: H U
authors.initials: HU
authors.lastname: Ulriksen
authors.forename: Arne Nylandsted
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Larsen
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D008027:Light; D008422:Materials Testing; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D012666:Semiconductors; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance / Q000295:instrumentation*
chemical_list: D000535:Aluminum; D012825:Silicon