PeroSeminar | 10 July 2025

 
Ivan Mukhin
Alferov University of RAS
Nanoscale light sources based on tunnel current enhanced by optical nanoantennas
Abstract

The key components of photonic integrated circuits are nanoscale optical emitters and nanowaveguides. Micro- or nanosized electrically controlled sources of optical radiation are one of the most important elements. The phenomenon of light emission via inelastic tunneling (LEIT) of electrons through potential barriers or junctions opens up new possibilities for development of micro- or nanosized electrically controlled sources of light in the visible and near IR range. Optical nanoantennas introduced into the tunnel junction help to enhance the performance of LEIT-based light sources. In this presentation plasmonic, hybrid metal/semiconductor (Au/Si) antennas and their arrays are discussed. 

III-V semiconductor nanostructures are considered as the most promising material platform for light sources and waveguides due to highly efficient luminescence and high refractive index. We employed doped GaP nanowires (NWs) as optical waveguides with directly integrated electrically-driven light sources, solving the problem of emission-to-waveguide coupling. Single NWs are integrated with electrodes and pump electroluminescence by a tunnel junction allowing to study emission properties with nanoscale spatial resolution.

The proposed approach allows for fabrication of nanosized hybrid nanoantennas and studying their properties using scanning tunnel microscopy.