Optical Constants of Vacuum-Evaporated Silver Films*

Abstract

The optical constants of vacuum-evaporated silver films were determined in the wavelength region 2500–3700 Å from reflectance measurements made at various angles of incidence. These data were obtained to investigate the discrepancy between the experimental optical emission studies from electron-bombarded thin silver foils and transition radiation theory when the optical constants of bulk silver were used as input data. The discrepancy of about 30% in the photon intensity at the peak of emission is removed when the optical constants of evaporated films are used. These optical constants also predict accurately the resonance absorption found in the optical transmission of thin silver foils.