Surface-plasmon resonance for photoluminescence and solar-cell applications

The surface plasmon of metal nanostructures influences surrounding semiconductors in various ways. In particular, a surface plasmon modifies recombination rates of excitons in a semiconductor, and intensifies photon flux in the vicinity of metal nanostructures. These phenomena have contributed to the improvement of photoluminescent properties both by enhancement of radiative recombination and by electromagnetic-field amplification, even though the degree of nonradiative energy dissipation is sensitively dependent on the metal-semiconductor distance. Strong light absorption induced by surface plasmons is also attractive for photovoltaic applications, so metal nanostructures can be incorporated into diverse solar-cell systems with a reduced solar-cell thickness.