Terahertz radiation of plasmonic hot carriers

From the birth of plasmonics, the generation of hot carriers in nanostructured metals has been recognized as a fundamental challenge towards effectively harnessing light energy stored in sub-diffraction plasmon modes. However, the observation of hot-carrier transport at metal/dielectric Schottky junctions has reframed this challenge as a distinctive opportunity to facilitate precise control over photochemical and photophysical processes in a manner that is both spectrally selective and spatially precise. To further diversify the array of prospective applicationsin this research area, we showcase the generation of terahertz (THz) electromagnetic waves using the ultrafast formation and interfacial transport of plasmonic hot carriers in hybrid metal/dielectric nano-systems. The introduced hot-carrier-based coherent THz sources mitigate stringent materials requirements pertinent to state-of-the-art technologies for producing THz waves.