Optical effects of surface plasma waves with damping in metallic thin films.

Effects of optical absorption on surface plasma waves are computed from the Fresnel reflection and transmission coefficients for a metallic thin film. It is shown that the angle of incidence at which the reflectivity exhibits a deep minimum is greater than the angle of incidence at which the H field of the surface plasma wave at the metal-vacuum surface exhibits maximum amplitude. Surface plasma waves can have maximum amplitude at an angle of incidence where reflectivity is near maximum, and a deep minimum in reflectivity can occur without the simultaneous excitation of intense surface plasma waves.