title: Do dielectric nanostructures turn metallic in high-electric dc fields?
abstract: Three-dimensional dielectric nanostructures have been analyzed using field ion microscopy (FIM) to study the electric dc field penetration inside these structures. The field is proved to be screened within a few nanometers as theoretically calculated taking into account the high-field impact ionization process. Moreover, the strong dc field of the order of 0.1 V/Å at the surface inside a dielectric nanostructure modifies its band structure leading to a strong band gap shrinkage and thus to a strong metal-like optical absorption near the surface. This metal-like behavior was theoretically predicted using first-principle calculations and experimentally proved using laser-assisted atom probe tomography (APT). This work opens up interesting perspectives for the study of the performance of all field-effect nanodevices, such as nanotransistor or super capacitor, and for the understanding of the physical mechanisms of field evaporation of dielectric nanotips in APT.
authors.affiliation: Groupe de Physique des Matériaux UMR CNRS 6634, Normandie Université, Université-INSA de Rouen , Avenue de l'Université BP 12, 76801 Saint Etienne du Rouvray, France.
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Silaeva
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Arnoldi
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Karahka
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Deconihout
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Menand
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kreuzer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vella
keywords: Field effect; atom probe tomography; dielectric nanostructure; high dc field; optical properties