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J. Verbeeck, D. Van Dyck, H. Lichte, P. Potapov, P. Schattschneider:
"Plasmon holographic experiments: theoretical framework";
Ultramicroscopy, 102 (2005), 3; 239 - 255.

Plasmon holographic experiments: theoretical framework

J. Verbeeck a, D. van Dyck a, H. Lichte b, P. Potapov a and P. Schattschneider c

a EMAT, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium
b Triebenberglabor, Dresden University, D-01062 Dresden, Germany
c Institute for Solid State Physics, Vienna University of Technology, A-1040 Wien, Austria

Received 24 June 2004; revised 27 September 2004; accepted 12 October 2004. Available online 4 November 2004.

Abstract
A theoretical framework is described to understand the results of plasmon holography experiments leading to insight in the meaning of the experimental results and pointing out directions for future experiments. The framework is based on the formalism of mutual intensity to describe how coherence is transferred through an optical system. For the inelastic interaction with the object, an expression for the volume plasmon excitations in a free electron gas is used as a model for the behaviour of aluminium. The formalism leads to a clear graphical intuitive tool for understanding the experiments. It becomes evident that the measured coherence is solely related to the angular distribution of the plasmon scattering in the case of bulk plasmons. After describing the framework, the special case of coherence outside a spherical particle is treated and the seemingly controversial idea of a plasmon with a limited coherence length obtained from experiments is clarified.

Keywords: Holography; Plasmons; Inelastic scattering; Coherence

PACS: 61.14.Nm; 42.25.Kb; 71.10.Ca

http://aleph.ub.tuwien.ac.at/F?base=tuw01&func=find-c&ccl_term=AC05938073

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ultramic.2004.10.005