Surface plasmon dispersion at silver single-crystal surfaces

Abstract

We develop a model for the calculation of screening at the surface of single Ag crystals, including the response of both conduction and bound electrons. We obtain the electron-energy-loss spectra on the low index faces, and from it, the corresponding surface plasmon (SP) dispersion relations. Our results depend strongly on the face orientation and, for Ag(110), and also on the propagation direction. With an appropriate choice of surface density profile for the conduction electrons, our model yields large positive SP dispersions, in qualitative agreement with experiment. [S0163-1829(99)11631-X].