Plasmonic field-enhanced photodetector and image sensor

An image sensor comprising:

• a metal surface;
• a metal nanohole array formed on the metal surface;
• and
• a detector array formed at a position corresponding to the metal nanohole array,
• wherein the metal surface is configured to shield incident light and to generate surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs),
• wherein the detector array comprises a dielectric formed at nanoholes in which at least a part of the metal surface is opened, and
• wherein photons of the incident light interact with surface plasmons (SPs) generated at an interface with the metal surface and the dielectric to generate SPPs.

A method of operating a photodetector, the method comprising:

• generating, at a metal layer that shields incident light, surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs), the SPPs being generated by combining surface plasmons (SPs) with photons of a light wave;
• and
• generating photocurrent, at a semiconductor layer, by using the absorbed SPPs,
• wherein photons of the shielded incident light interact with surface plasmons (SPs) generated at an interface with the metal layer and a dielectric material formed at nanoholes in which at least a part of the metal layer is opened.