Abstract
We propose a new method for the optical determination of carrier relaxation times in metals. It is based on a recently observed effect involving the excitation of surface electromagnetic waves (surface plasmons) in a prism (substrate)-thin film (metal) configuration. In this geometry the dispersion curve ω( q) bends back at a maximum wavevector q m. The value of q m, which may be determined experimentally, is a sensitive measure of the relaxation time τ. Although the calculations are based on the Drude model of conductivity, the method presented may be extended to other models and also to semiconducting and dielectric materials.
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