Reflection Spectroscopy by Plasma-Resonance Enhancement

By placing a thin layer of a metal with plasma frequency ωp upon a substrate of a second metal with a plasma frequency much greater than ωp a configuration is created that greatly enhances plasma-resonance effects upon reflectance. Sample results of calculations for films of potassium and silver deposited upon an aluminum substrate are presented. The results suggest that reflectance measurements with such composite samples may provide new information on solid-state plasma resonances as well as provide a simulation for other interactions of electromagnetic radiation with bounded plasmas.