Hot Electrons in a Steady State: Interband vs Intraband Excitation of Plasmonic Gold.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 38996185.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1021/acsnano.4c03702 and PMC identifier 11271177.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Understanding the dynamics of "hot", highly energetic electrons resulting from nonradiative plasmon decay is crucial for optimizing applications in photocatalysis and energy conversion. This study presents an analysis of electron kinetics within plasmonic metals, focusing on the steady-state behavior during continuous-wave (CW) illumination. Using an inelastic spectroscopy technique, we quantify the temperature and lifetimes of distinct carrier populations during excitation. A significant finding is the monotonic increase in hot electron lifetime with decreases in electronic temperature. We also observe a 1.22× increase in hot electron temperature during intraband excitation compared to interband excitation and a corresponding 2.34× increase in carrier lifetime. The shorter lifetimes during interband excitation are hypothesized to result from direct recombination of nonthermal holes and hot electrons, highlighting steady-state kinetics. Our results help bridge the knowledge gap between ultrafast and steady-state spectroscopies, offering critical insights for optimizing plasmonic applications.