Ott C, Götzinger S, Weber HB (2020)
Publication Language: English
Publication Type: Journal article, Letter
Publication year: 2020
Book Volume: 2
Article Number: 042019 (R)
URI: https://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.2.042019
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevResearch.2.042019
Open Access Link: https://journals.aps.org/prresearch/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.2.042019
Electron tunneling is associated with light emission. In order to elucidate its generating mechanism, we provide an experimental ansatz that employs fixed-distance epitaxial graphene as metallic electrodes. In contrast to previous experiments, this open geometry permits an unobscured light spread from the tunnel junction, enabling both a reliable calibration of the visible to infrared emission spectrum and a detailed analysis of the dependence of the parameters involved. In a nonresonant geometry, the emitted light is perfectly characterized by a Planck spectrum. In an electromagnetically resonant environment, resonant radiation is added to the thermal spectrum, both being strictly proportional in intensity. In full agreement with a simple heat conduction model, we provide evidence that in both cases the light emission stems from a hot electronic subsystem in interaction with its linear electromagnetic environment. In a long-running discussion whether the light is of thermal or electromagnetic origin, these results on graphene nanojunctions clearly favor the thermal picture.
APA:
Ott, C., Götzinger, S., & Weber, H.B. (2020). Thermal origin of light emission in nonresonant and resonant nanojunctions. Physical Review Research, 2. https://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.2.042019
MLA:
Ott, Christian, Stephan Götzinger, and Heiko B. Weber. "Thermal origin of light emission in nonresonant and resonant nanojunctions." Physical Review Research 2 (2020).
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