'Hot' Electrons Can Create a Photovoltage (IMAGE)

Rice University

'Hot' Electrons Can Create a Photovoltage

Caption

Rice University scientists discovered that 'hot' electrons can create a photovoltage about a thousand times larger than ordinary temperature differences in nanoscale gaps in gold wires. On the left, a laser-heated, bowtie-shaped plasmonic gold nanowire created a small voltage in the wire. On the right, a gold nanowire with a nanogap under the same light source showed a much stronger voltage at the break.

Credit

Natelson Group/Rice University

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