Here is how infrared photons increase the tunneling of electrons across a dielectric barrier.
“Using the coherent coupling of light and matter to alter the tunneling properties of electrons was first discussed during the 1960s when it was established that photons can optically excite an electron across an insulating gap between two superconductors.1 As growth methods for nano- and mesoscale solid-state structures improved, schemes for photon-assisted tunneling (PAT) quickly developed. The oscillating electric field of a resonant photon modulates the local potential of an electronic state to modify its tunneling properties. Radiation applied to quantum wells or quantum dots dresses the electron energy levels, resulting in the emergence of Floquet states.2 The resulting ladder of dressed states above and below the original energy provides new paths through which the electrons can tunnel.3–6”
