title: Quantum-Spillover-Enhanced Surface-Plasmonic Absorption at the Interface of Silver and High-Index Dielectrics.
abstract: We demonstrate an unexpectedly strong surface-plasmonic absorption at the interface of silver and high-index dielectrics based on electron and photon spectroscopy. The measured bandwidth and intensity of absorption deviate significantly from the classical theory. Our density-functional calculation well predicts the occurrence of this phenomenon. It reveals that due to the low metal-to-dielectric work function at such interfaces, conduction electrons can display a drastic quantum spillover, causing the interfacial electron-hole pair production to dominate the decay of surface plasmons. This finding can be of fundamental importance in understanding and designing quantum nanoplasmonic devices that utilize noble metals and high-index dielectrics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
authors.forename: Dafei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Neuhauser
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: von Cube
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
authors.forename: Yingyi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA.
authors.forename: Ritesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sachan
authors.affiliation: Sandia National Laboratory, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87123, USA.
authors.forename: Ting S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Luk
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
authors.forename: Nicholas X
authors.initials: NX
authors.lastname: Fang