Theory of the intersurfacedband plasmon

The dispersion relation of the intersurfacedband plasmon, i.e., collective excitation of the surface electrons of the clean or adsorbed surfaces, is investigated by the self-consistent field approach. The dispersion is predicted to start with the linear term in the wave number parallel to the surface, which will be helpful to distinguish the plasmon from the individual excitations. The sign of the dispersion and the depolarization shift depend on the polarization of the interband transition. The contribution of the plasmon to the electron energy loss cross section is given.     

Characteristic energy gain and loss,double ionization,and ionization loss events in Be and BeO secondary electron spectra

Two satellite peaks have been observed on the high energy side of the Be KVV Auger peak. The lower energy satellite is attributed to coupling of energy from bulk plasmon de-excitations with Auger electrons, and the higher energy event to Auger electrons ejected from Be atoms with doubly ionized K levels. Following oxidation, the ionization loss spectra of BeO were observed to have structure which is interpreted as being related to the density of unfilled electron states above the BeO valence band. In addition, the characteristic loss and the low energy (“true secondary”) spectra of Be and BeO were determined. Peaks in these spectra are discussed in terms of characteristic energies related to excited electron states in the solids.     

The electron energy loss spectrum of tin at low primary beam energies

The electron energy loss spectra of clean and oxidised tin have been measured for primary energies in the range 100–1000 eV. The structure found for clean tin is similar to published spectra recorded with low primary energies except for the presence of a small peak at 4.7 eV. Differences between the reported volume plasmon energy recorded with low and high primary beam energies were noted and a model is presented to explain these differences in terms of plasmon dispersion.     

Electronic properties of metallic bilayers deposited on Cu(1 1 1): A comparative study

The nature and the dispersion of the electronic collective excitations in different metal bilayers (Na, Ca, Ag) deposited onto the Cu(1 1 1) surface were investigated by angle-resolved electron energy loss spectroscopy. We found a nearly-flat behavior of the surface plasmon energy (absence of dispersion) in Ca and Ag bilayers, characterized by the presence of d electrons, in good agreement with theoretical predictions within the framework of the s-d polarization model. On the contrary, an initial negative dispersion was observed in the Na bilayer. The intensity of the surface plasmon was vanishing in the long-wavelength limit in all cases.     

A study of the orientation dependence of the electron energy loss spectra for single crystal films of copper and silver

Apart from two peaks caused by bulk and surface plasmons, four or five peaks (depending on the crystal type) of electron energy losses due to inter- and intraband electron transitions are observed in the investigation of the electron energy loss spectra for metals (Cu, Ag). A comparative analysis of the spectra for Cu or Ag films reveals a shift of bulk plasmon loss peaks to higher values for polycrystals, as in the case of transition metals and semiconductors. In a study concerning the orientation dependence of the energy loss spectra (ELS) for electrons scattered from the copper and silver surface, the anisotropy of the bulk plasmon peak is found when the incident beam’s polar angle or the sample’s azimuthal angle are altered. The anisotropy of the primary electron energy loss for plasmon excitation is also observed, depending on the sample orientation relative to the direction incident electrons. The energy losses are found to increase with an increasing atomic packing density of planes and crystal transparency relative to the incident beam.     

Study of the optical properties of pyridine intercalated niobium disulphide by electron energy loss spectroscopy

High energy electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) has been used to study the influence of the intercalation with pyridine on the optical properties of the host material 2H-NbS₂. The optical joint density of states function OJDOS(ω) of the intercalated material is found to be well represented by a linear superposition of the OJDOS of pure NbS₂ and that of pyridine. A charge transfer from pyridine to NbS₂ of (0.27±0.05) electrons per NbS₂ formula unit is deduced from the energy shift of the d-band plasmon loss relative to the pure host material. Assuming this shift to be caused by a change in the charge density contributing to the d-band plasmon is confirmed by an unchanged effective mass of the electrons in the d_z2 band upon intercalation as has been deduced from the dispersion of the plasmon in question.     

Angle- and energy-dependent core-level photoelectron energy loss studies in Al and In

Electron energy loss structures of Al and In core-level photoemission spectra, in particular surface and bulk plasmon losses, have been investigated as functions of photon energy (i.e., photoelectron kinetic energy). These studies utilized synchrotron radiation to provide a variable photon source in the ultra-soft X-ray region, thus allowing these loss processes to be studied at photoelectron kinetic energies for which the mean free path of the electrons is minimal. The Al plasmon loss structure was also studied with soft X-ray radiation in an angle-resolved mode, allowing the variation of effective photoelectron sampling depth with different electron take-off (collection) angles. These results for the relative intensity of the bulk and surface plasmons as a function of electron kinetic energy and electron exit angle are in qualitative agreement with the predictions of ?unji? and ?ok?evi?. The core-level binding energies of surface atoms have also been studied with the result that no significant shift has been observed with respect to bulk-atom core levels.     

Kinetic Study on Channelling of Protons in Metallic Carbon Nanotubes

Based on the kinetic model and the dielectric response theory, a theoretical model is put forward to describe the transport of protons along nanotube axes. With the introduction of electron band structure for different nanotubes like zigzag and armchair nanotubes of metallic properties, the collective excitation of electrons on the cylinders induced by the incident ions is studied, showing several distinct peaks in the curves of the energy loss function. Furthermore, the stopping power and the self-energy are calculated as functions of ion velocities, especially taking into account the influence of damping coefficients. It is conceivable from the results that, in the kinetic formulation, plasmon excitation plays a major role in the stopping. And as the damping increases, the peaks of the stopping power shift to the lower velocities, with the broadening of the plasmon resonance.     

The surface relaxation of Al as determined by electron energy loss spectroscopy on plasmons

Electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) on plasmons has been applied to determine the thermal expansion coefficient on the surface and to estimate the density of conduction electrons in the surface layer of aluminium. Using the data on the temperature dependence of the surface plasmon energy shift, the value of thermal expansion coefficient on the surface was calculated to be α_s=1.3 × 10^?4K^?1 that is about two times higher than the bulk value. A simple model is proposed which takes account of the influence of electron density non-uniformity in the surface layer on the dispersion of plasma oscillations. An estimation of the density of conduction electrons in the surface layer based on the observed dependence of the surface plasmon energy on the energy of primary electrons gave a value about 5% lower than the bulk value. The thickness of altered surface layer is about 10 Å.     

Characteristic energy loss spectra of copper crystals with surfaces described by LEED

Energy distributions of electrons back-scattered from copper (100) and (110) surfaces have been obtained for incident electron energies in the range 30 to 350 eV. The relations between optical measurements and the characteristic energy losses, as well as the effect of interband transitions on the bulk and surface plasmon frequencies in metals which do not have ideally free electron plasmas are discussed. By chemisorbing increasing amounts of oxygen on the clean surface, the surface plasmon loss peak was identified in the copper energy loss spectrum from its intensity dependence on the dielectric constant at the surface. This peak has been identified by previous authors as the bulk plasmon loss of a single s-electron plasma oscillation. Our identification of the surface plasmon loss peak implies that the d-electrons in copper do participate in the plasma oscillation and that the bulk plasmon frequency is shifted from its free electron value because of interband transitions.     

Plasmon loss structure in synchrotron radiation photoemission from Mg films

Synchrotron radiation excitation has been used to vary the kinetic energy of electrons photoemitted from the 2p core level of polycrystalline magnesium films and the energy-dependence of the accompanying plasmon loss structure has been observed. Difficulties associated with background subtraction are discussed, and it is shown that the method of background subtraction profoundly affects the conclusions drawn from such an experiment on the relative importance of plasmon and single particle excitation mechanisms for electron scattering. Very thin films of Mg have also been studied in an attempt to separate the intrinsic and extrinsic modes of plasmon creation. Although the plasmon loss structure is dependent on film thickness implying a considerable contribution from extrinsic processes, we are not able to observe plasmons excited in the thin film by electrons originating in the substrate core level. The implications of these results are discussed and further experiments suggested.     

Measurement and interpretation of the electron energy loss spectra of iron and its oxides

The characteristic electron energy loss spectra of high purity samples of iron and its oxides were measured using cpmbined electron microscopy and energy analysis. By comparing these with X-ray absorption spectra it was possible to identify the single electron excitation processes and to deduce the plasmon energy of the electrons in iron.     

Elementary excitations in multiple quantum wire structures

We calculate the plasmon dispersion of electrons in multiple quantum wire structures. Wave function overlapping effects between different wires are neglected. The Coulomb interaction potential is calculated for a model with circular wire area. Analytical results for the excitation spectrum of electron multiple quantum wire structures are obtained within an one-subband model. Landau damping of intrasubband plasmons is discussed. Results for an electron superlattice within a two-subband model are presented and the coupling of intersubband plasmons with intrasubband plasmons is calculated. We compare the theoretical results with recent Raman measurements of intrasubband plasmons in Al _x Ga_1–x As/GaAs wire superlattices. The plasmon dispersion for boson multiple quantum wire structures also is calculated.     

Temperature effect on plasmon dispersions in double-layer graphene systems

We investigate the plasmon dispersion relation and damping rate of a double-layer graphene system consisting of two separated monolayer graphenes with no interlayer tunneling at finite temperature. We use the temperature dependent RPA dielectric function which is valid for graphene systems to obtain the plasmon frequencies and damping rates at different temperatures, interlayer correlation parameters and electron densities and then compare them with those obtained from the zero temperature calculations. Our results show that by increasing the temperature, the plasmon frequencies decrease and the decay rate increases. Furthermore, we find that the behavior of a double-layer graphene system at small and large correlation parameters is different from the conventional double-layer two-dimensional electron gas system. Finally, we obtain that in a density imbalanced double-layer graphene system, the acoustic plasmons are more affected by temperature than the equal electron densities one.     

Plasmon dispersion in Beryllium

We have measured the plasmon dispersion in polycrystalline Beryllium at wave vectors up tok=1.29 Å^?1 with electron energy loss spectroscopy. The plasmon energy is 18.8±0.1 eV, the fitted quadratic dispersion coefficient is α=0.36±0.03 for 0<k<1.29 Å^?1 and α _L =0.52+0.04 fork<0.55 Å^?1. We compare our results with the plasmon dispersion in other simple metals and point out discrepancies with the theories of the homogeneous electron gas.     

Evidence of substrate metallization by Li adsorption on the Si(001) surface

We report an evidence of substrate metallization induced by Li adsorption on the Si(001) surface, based on the combined results of electron energy-loss (EEL) and angle-resolved photoemission (ARP) measurements. The metallic surface at a low dose of Li manifests itself as a loss peak due to an intraband surface plasmon in EEL spectra and a metallic peak in ARP spectra. These peaks are coherently understood in terms of substrate metallization, where electrons from Li adatoms partially occupy the empty substrate surface bands. Furthermore, the unique negative dispersion of the plasmon reveals that local field effects may cause such an anomalous dispersion.     

Probing the electronic structure of ZnO nanowires by valence electron energy loss spectroscopy

Valence electron energy loss spectroscopy in a transmission electron microscope is employed to investigate the electronic structure of ZnO nanowires with diameter ranging from 20 to 100 nm. Its excellent spatial resolution enables this technique to explore the electronic states of a single nanowire. We found that all of the basic electronic structure characteristics of the ZnO nanowires, including the 3.3 eV band gap, the single electron interband transitions at approximately = 9.5, approximately = 13.5,and approximately = 21.8 eV, and the bulk plasmon oscillation at approximately 18.8 eV, resemble those of the bulk ZnO. Momentum transfer resolved energy loss spectra suggest that the 13.5 eV excitation is actually consisted of two weak excitations at approximately = 12.8 and approximately = 14.8 eV, which originate from transitions of two groups of the Zn 3d electrons to the empty density of states in the conduction band, with a dipole-forbidden nature. The energy loss spectra taken from single nanowires of different diameters show several size-dependent features, including an increase in the oscillator strength of the surface plasmon resonance at approximately = 11.5 eV, a broadening of the bulk plasmon peak, and splitting of the O 2s transition at approximately = 21.8 eV into two peaks, which coincides with a redshift of the bulk plasmon peak, when the nanowire diameter decreases. All these observations can be well explained by the increased surface/volume ratio in nanowires of small diameter.     

Plasmon photoelectric effect from alkali halides

The existence of the plasmon photoelectric effect was postulated elsewhere by one of the authors. In the plasmon photoelectric effect, incident photons excite plasmons in the solid; the decay of plasmons excites electrons. The emergence of these electrons from the solid is responsible for a group of photoelectrons of definite energy. The existence of the plasmon photoelectric effect is confirmed by comparison of spectral photoelectric yield data with electron energy loss spectra in 16 alkali halides. The presence of the plasmon photoelectric effect explains additional peaks observed with some alkali halides in the energy spectra of photoelectrons. These peaks were not understood previously.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 10, pp. 7–16, October, 1974.     

THE DIELECTRIC FUNCTION OF AN ELECTRON GAS IN A PERIODIC STRUCTURE: RPA THEORY

The dielectric function of a classical electron gas in a periodic superlattice structure is calculated within the linear response regime undel RPA and the assumption that the equilibrium density of electrons differs slightly from its average value.Numerical results are given for the plasmon dispersion and the longitudinal dielectric function in the case of sinusoidally modulated suprlattice structure.