Hot carrier devices using novel alloys and substrates

High conductivity metals have long been the material of choice for traditional electronics, and over the past two decades low-loss metals have led to many novel optical devices and structures as a result of plasmonic confinement. As these fields merge, metal optoelectronics using hot carrier effects may pave the way for new device architectures with improved flexibility, frequency response, and ultrafast time-dynamics. In this presentation, we will discuss our recent work building hot electron photodetectors for NIR detection using Si and metal oxides, improved response using nanoscale metal alloys, and time-resolved ultrafast detection via pump-probe techniques exploiting surface plasmon excitation. Further, we will show how the incorporation of index near zero (INZ) substrates can lead to nearly 100% absorption in thin metal films, providing a new platform for hot electron devices. We will conclude with an outlook and discuss future possibilities with these novel material systems.