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Vectorial selective surface effects in the optical absorption and photoelectric emission of thin metal films
Author(s) -
Meessen A.
Publication year - 1968
Publication title -
physica status solidi (b)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1521-3951
pISSN - 0370-1972
DOI - 10.1002/pssb.19680260111
Subject(s) - photoelectric effect , absorption (acoustics) , mean free path , surface plasmon , drude model , materials science , excitation , observable , thin film , metal , optics , electron , plasmon , optoelectronics , condensed matter physics , scattering , physics , nanotechnology , quantum mechanics , metallurgy
The “surface effect” is expected to become observable in the photoelectric emission, and even more early in the optical absorption of very thin metal films. It corresponds to a modified Drude absorption where the electron mean free path is of the order of magnitude of the film thickness. But there is a strong “vector effect” in films with perfectly plane surfaces. The quantum mechanical calculation yields the same result as the modified classical Drude theory, with the additional prediction of a film‐thickness dependent absorption‐threshold. Other related surface effects are briefly discussed, and it is suggested that the excitation of surface plasmons may also lead to a “vectorial, selective photoelectric emission”.