On the absorption of electromagnetic radiation near a metal surface

We present a discussion on the absorptance of electromagnetic radiation per unit length in the surface region of a free electron like metal. We wish particularly to comment on recent work by Feibelman, Kliewer, Forstmann and Stenscke, who all considered different approximations of the jellium model. We are using a unified treatment from which the results in their models can easily be obtained. Our results confirm the general conclusions by Kliewer about a strong coupling to the electron-hole excitations which lead to a locally negative absorptance. In the model considered by Feibelman there is no such coupling to electron-hole excitations and he obtains the classical results for the absorptance. Forstmann and Stenschke have recently applied a hydrodynamical approach which gives results in disagreement with Kliewer's theory as well as with our own results, and we make some comments about their approach.