Surface plasma waves in silver and gold

The dispersion curves for surface plasma waves (SPW) in Ag have been determined from calculated reflectivity minima as exhibited by attenuated total reflection (ATR spectra) for the prism-air-metal (PAM) configuration and from the direct calculation of the dispersion relation for the same configuration. The dispersion curves for Au have been determined by measuring the ATR spectra for the prism-dielectric-metal (PDM) configuration, by calculating the ATR spectra from published optical constants and from the direct calculation of the despersion relation for the PDM configuration. We have found two general types of solutions from the direct calculation of the dispersion relation for both configurations. The two solutions are the surface or Brewster modes and the virtual modes. The characteristics of both modes are discussed. The effect of electronic damping upon the dispersion curves for Ag which exhibits low electronic damping and Au which exhibits moderate electronic damping is demonstrated. Finally the perturbing effect of the dielectric (referred herein as dielectric shift) upon the displacement of the dispersion curves to higher wave number for the PAM configuration for Ag and for the PDM configuration for Au is shown.