Vavilov-Cherenkov like effect in metal nanofilms

The so-called surface plasmon polaritons, i.e., natural waves with a low phase velocity (much lower than the speed of light in a vacuum), exist in silver, gold, and copper nanofilms and nanowires. Electrons that are relatively slow in comparison with those that emit Cherenkov light in a homogeneous medium produce plasmons. The dispersion relations for the corresponding plasmons and the emission angles of plasmons with corresponding frequencies are calculated. It is shown that devices based on detecting Cherenkov light in nanofilms and nanowires can be used to detect low-energy electrons.