In-out asymmetry and interference effects in plasmon excitation by swift charged particles traversing a surface

• Published in: Surface and interface analysis Vol. 45; no. 13; pp. 1849 - 1853
• Main Authors: Gervasoni, J. L., Barrachina, R. O., Segui, S., Werner, W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.12.2013; Wiley; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Analogies; Asymmetry; Charged particles; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Excitation; in-out asymmetry; Interface analysis; Interference; interference effects; Physics; plasmon excitation; Plasmons; Trajectories; plasmon excitation; Plasmons; Asymmetry; Charged particles; interference effects; in―out asymmetry
• ISSN: 0142-2421; 1096-9918
• DOI: 10.1002/sia.5331

We investigate the excitation of plasmons by a fast charged particle moving in the vicinity or traversing the surface of a solid along an arbitrary trajectory. We use both quantum‐mechanical and semiclassical dielectric formulations to study how the particle couples with the bulk and surface excitations. We pay special attention to the differences and similarities between incoming and outgoing trajectories, finding some novel oscillatory structures that can be ascribed to an interference effect between direct and reflected plasmon excitations. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.