Resolving the apparent ambiguity in determining the relative permittivity and thickness of a metal film using optical excitation of surface plasmon-polaritons

Abstract

In using the attenuated total reflection technique for surface plasmon-polariton excitation, together with Fresnel's equations, to determine the relative permittivity and thickness of a metal film, it has been suggested that there is an ambiguity present in the solutions obtained. In this note, it is shown that if suitable care is taken in recording data over a sufficiently wide angle range, this ambiguity is eliminated.