Plasmonic hot carriers scratch the surface

Metal nanostructures capture light efficiently due to plasmonic enhancement and generate energetic electrons and holes that can be used to drive chemical reactions or transferred across metal-semiconductor interfaces for solar cells and photodetectors. The overall efficiency of plasmonic hot-carrier devices depends on the generated energy distribution, on its evolution with transport through the metal, and, most critically, on the transport across the metal surface or interface. Here, we review the mechanistic considerations, strategies, and challenges for efficient hot-carrier extraction, highlighting the need for new materials to transport carriers with minimal energy loss and for interfaces designed to transfer them with high probability.

Automated summary

Metal nanostructures efficiently capture light and generate high-energy electrons and holes for driving chemical reactions or transferring across metal-semiconductor interfaces. The overall efficiency of hot-carrier devices depends on the energy distribution, its evolution during transport through the metal, and most critically, on the transport across the metal surface or interface.