Energy harvesting in semiconductor-insulator-semiconductor junctions through excitation of surface plasmon polaritons

We have demonstrated a simple approach for developing a photovoltaic device consisting of semiconductor-insulator-semiconductor (SIS) heterojunction using surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) generated in one of the semiconductors (Al:ZnO) and propagated through the dielectric barrier (SiO 2 ) to other (Si). This robust architecture based on surface plasmon excitation within an SIS device that produces power based on spatial confinement of electron excitation through plasmon absorption in Al:ZnO in a broad spectrum of visible to infrared wavelengths enhancing the photovoltaic activities. This finding suggests a range of applications for photovoltaics, sensing, waveguides, and others using SPPs enhancement on semiconductors without using noble metals.