Electric field dependence of quantum efficiencies of Ag/n-Si composites in the infrared at room temperature

Room temperature quantum efficiencies of 2 μm thick Ag/n-Si composite films as a function of electric field are calculated for incident radiation wavelengths of 3, 5, 8, and 14 μm using a previously derived formula. With energies smaller than the Ag-Si Schottky barrier height, the signal current is carried by electrons tunneling through the barrier. For composites with Ag particle size of 5 nm, in an applied electric field of 2x106 V/cm, the quantum efficiencies are between 10% and 35%, depending on the wavelength. They increase rapidly with electric field and asymptotically approach a large fraction of the absorbed incident radiation in the Ag particles