EXCITATION BY LIGHT OF OMEGA+ AND OMEGA- SURFACE PLASMA WAVES IN THIN METAL LAYERS

Calculations with the extended Fresnel formulae show, that ω+ and ω- surface plasma waves can be excited by light, using the following optical arrangement: The metal foil is embedded between two dielectric layers of low index of refraction and equal thickness. Both sides of this 3-layer packet are in optical contact with a high index prism. Total reflection is broken by ω+ and ω- resonances in reflectivity, transmission and absorption. The ω+ resonance is mainly transmissive, (transmission through a 800 Å thick silver foil greater than 50% at a wavelength of 5,461 Å) the ω- resonance is mainly absorptive. The polarization of the transmitted light exceeds 99%-the ω+ resonance is proposed as a principle for a new optical polarizer. © 1969 Springer-Verlag.