Chapter 12
Plasmon-Induced Carrier Transfer
for Infrared Light Energy Conversion
Masanori Sakamoto, Zichao Lian, and Toshiharu Teranishi
Abstract The infrared (IR) region of the solar spectrum is a source of untapped
potential energy. Conversion of IR-light to electrical energy or fuel would provide a
plentiful energy source for modern society. Plasmonic energy conversion holds the
key to conversion of solar energy through materials that efficiently absorb photons of
the desired wavelength, including the IR region. Herein, we investigated plasmoninduced carrier transfer from plasmonic heavily doped semiconductor nanocrystals in
a wide bandgap semiconductor to convert IR-light to energy. We discovered that efficient hot-carrier transfer proceeds from a heavily doped semiconductor nanocrystal
to a wide bandgap semiconductor upon excitation of a localized surface plasmon
resonance band. In addition, this material system achieved photocatalytic H 2 evolution based on excitation at long wavelengths of the solar spectrum (i.e., 2500 nm).
The apparent quantum yield of photocatalytic H 2 evolution based on a catalyst with
a plasmonic heavily doped semiconductor as a light-harvesting material represents
a highly efficient conversion of IR energy to fuel. The relationship between the
plasmon-induced carrier dynamics and photocatalytic activity paves the way for use
of this undeveloped low-energy light as a solar energy resource.
Keywords Infrared light · Localized surface plasmon resonance · Photocatalyst ·
Nanocrystal · Hydrogen evolution · Solar fuel generation
12.1 Introduction
Solar light is an important energy resource supporting life on Earth and many human
activities. The parts of the solar spectrum used for solar energy conversion, including
photosynthesis and artificial photosynthesis, are limited to the ultraviolet (UV),
visible, and a limited region of the near-infrared (NIR) light (700–1000 nm) [1].
IR-light, which accounts for almost half of all solar energy, particularly IR-light at
wavelengths longer than 1000 nm, including shortwave IR (SWIR: 1400–3000 nm)
M. Sakamoto (B) · Z. Lian · T. Teranishi
Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto
611-0011, Japan
e-mail: sakamoto@scl.kyoto-u.ac
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
H. Miyasaka et al. (eds.), Photosynergetic Responses in Molecules
and Molecular Aggregates, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-5451-3_12
211
Plasmon-Induced Carrier Transfer
for Infrared Light Energy Conversion
Masanori Sakamoto, Zichao Lian, and Toshiharu Teranishi
Abstract The infrared (IR) region of the solar spectrum is a source of untapped
potential energy. Conversion of IR-light to electrical energy or fuel would provide a
plentiful energy source for modern society. Plasmonic energy conversion holds the
key to conversion of solar energy through materials that efficiently absorb photons of
the desired wavelength, including the IR region. Herein, we investigated plasmoninduced carrier transfer from plasmonic heavily doped semiconductor nanocrystals in
a wide bandgap semiconductor to convert IR-light to energy. We discovered that efficient hot-carrier transfer proceeds from a heavily doped semiconductor nanocrystal
to a wide bandgap semiconductor upon excitation of a localized surface plasmon
resonance band. In addition, this material system achieved photocatalytic H 2 evolution based on excitation at long wavelengths of the solar spectrum (i.e., 2500 nm).
The apparent quantum yield of photocatalytic H 2 evolution based on a catalyst with
a plasmonic heavily doped semiconductor as a light-harvesting material represents
a highly efficient conversion of IR energy to fuel. The relationship between the
plasmon-induced carrier dynamics and photocatalytic activity paves the way for use
of this undeveloped low-energy light as a solar energy resource.
Keywords Infrared light · Localized surface plasmon resonance · Photocatalyst ·
Nanocrystal · Hydrogen evolution · Solar fuel generation
12.1 Introduction
Solar light is an important energy resource supporting life on Earth and many human
activities. The parts of the solar spectrum used for solar energy conversion, including
photosynthesis and artificial photosynthesis, are limited to the ultraviolet (UV),
visible, and a limited region of the near-infrared (NIR) light (700–1000 nm) [1].
IR-light, which accounts for almost half of all solar energy, particularly IR-light at
wavelengths longer than 1000 nm, including shortwave IR (SWIR: 1400–3000 nm)
M. Sakamoto (B) · Z. Lian · T. Teranishi
Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto
611-0011, Japan
e-mail: sakamoto@scl.kyoto-u.ac
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
H. Miyasaka et al. (eds.), Photosynergetic Responses in Molecules
and Molecular Aggregates, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-5451-3_12
211