Photon Interactions at a Rough Metal Surface

Abstract

We have analyzed the processes of diffuse scattering of photons and surface-plasmon creation by photons at a rough metal surface. We have approximated the metal by an electron gas of uniform density which is bounded by a nearly plane surface at which the density falls abruptly to zero. Quantum perturbation theory is used to evaluate the probability of occurrence of the various processes at the assumed "weakly" rough surface.