title: Ponderomotive electron acceleration in a silicon-based nanoplasmonic waveguide.
abstract: Ponderomotive electron acceleration is demonstrated in a semiconductor-loaded nanoplasmonic waveguide. Photogenerated free carriers are accelerated by the tightly confined nanoplasmonic fields and reach energies exceeding the threshold for impact ionization. Broadband (375 nm ≤ λ ≤ 650  nm) white light emission is observed from the nanoplasmonic waveguides. Exponential growth of visible light emission confirms the exponential growth of the electron population, demonstrating the presence of an optical-field-driven electron avalanche. Electron sweeping dynamics are visualized using pump-probe measurements, and a sweeping time of 1.98 ± 0.40 ps is measured. These findings offer a means to harness the potential of the emerging field of ultrafast nonlinear nanoplasmonics.
authors.affiliation: Ultrafast Optics and Nanophotonics Research Laboratory, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2V4, Canada.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sederberg
authors.affiliation: Ultrafast Optics and Nanophotonics Research Laboratory, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2V4, Canada.
authors.forename: A Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Elezzabi
mesh_terms: D004583:Electrons; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D055095:Optics and Photonics / Q000379:methods*; D017785:Photons; D012666:Semiconductors; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D012825:Silicon