Electronic Temperature and Two-Electron Processes in Overbias Plasmonic Emission from Tunnel Junctions

The accurate determination of electronic temperatures in metallic nanostructures is essential for many technological applications, like plasmon-enhanced catalysis or lithographic nanofabrication procedures. In this Letter, we demonstrate that the electronic temperature can be accurately measured by the shape of the tunnel electroluminescence emission edge in tunnel plasmonic nanocavities, which follows a universal thermal distribution with the bias voltage as the chemical potential of the photon population. A significant deviation between electronic and lattice temperatures is found below 30 K for tunnel currents larger than 15 nA. This deviation is rationalized as the result of a two-electron process in which the second electron excites plasmon modes with an energy distribution that reflects the higher temperature following the first tunneling event. These results dispel a long-standing controversy on the nature of overbias emission in tunnel junctions and adds a new method for the determination of electronic temperatures and quasiparticle dynamics.

Automated summary

Accurate measurement of electronic temperatures in metallic nanostructures is crucial for various technological applications. This study demonstrates that electronic temperature can be accurately determined by the shape of tunnel electroluminescence emission edge in tunnel plasmonic nanocavities, revealing a significant deviation between electronic and lattice temperatures under certain conditions. The results provide insights into the nature of overbias emission in tunnel junctions and offer a new method for determining electronic temperatures and quasiparticle dynamics.