Counting the plasmonic generation of non-thermal hot carrier with a AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor

In this study, we demonstrate the ability to exclude the thermal effect and detect the generation of non-thermal hot carriers by surface plasmon using an AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistor. We will also provide a theoretical model to explain the detecting mechanism. This proposed platform is very sensitive, which is at least two orders of magnitude more sensitive compared to the previous reports, can detect the hot carriers generated from discrete nanostructures illuminated by a continuous wave light. The quantitative measurements of hot carrier generation also open a new way to optimize the plasmonic nanoantenna design in many applications.