Role of optical properties of materials in bremsstrahlung and inverse photoemission

• Published in: Surface science Vol. 269-270; pp. 566 - 572
• Main Author: Artamonov, O.M.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 15.05.1992; Amsterdam Elsevier Science; New York, NY
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Electron and ion emission by liquids and solids; impact phenomena; Exact sciences and technology; Impact phenomena (including electron spectra and sputtering); Other electron-impact emission phenomena; Physics
• ISSN: 0039-6028; 1879-2758
• DOI: 10.1016/0039-6028(92)91311-X

In the course of inverse photoemission and bremsstrahlung investigation in several cases a maximum of radiation has been observed at the photon energy corresponding to that of volume plasmons of the material. Some authors connect this maximum to the plasmon radiative decay. In the present work it is shown, that in the photon energy range corresponding to the plasmon energy some features due to peculiarities of transverse electromagnetic wave propagation in the vicinity of the surface or in a thin film may appear in the radiation spectral distribution. Characteristics of this optical resonance in a massive sample and in a thin film differ significantly. Model calculation results are in agreement with experimental data for Ag and Al massive samples as well for Ag layers on W(110) as Al layers on Nb(110).