Electromagnetic field correlations near a surface with a nonlocal optical response
- The coherence length of the thermal electromagnetic field near a planar surface has a minimum value related to the nonlocal dielectric response of the material. We perform two model calculations of the electric energy density and the field's degree of spatial coherence. Above a polar crystal, the lattice constant gives the minimum coherence length. It also gives the upper limit to the near field energy density, cutting off its 1/z(3) divergence. Near an electron plasma described by the semiclassical Lindhard dielectric function, the corresponding length scale is fixed by plasma screening to the Thomas-Fermi length. The electron mean free path, however, sets a larger scale where significant deviations from the local description are visible
Author details: | Carsten HenkelORCiDGND, Karl Joulain |
---|---|
URL: | http://www.springerlink.com/content/100502 |
DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-006-2219-9 |
ISSN: | 0946-2171 |
Publication type: | Article |
Language: | English |
Year of first publication: | 2006 |
Publication year: | 2006 |
Release date: | 2017/03/24 |
Source: | Applied physics / b, lasers and optics. - ISSN 0946-2171. - 84 (2006), 1-2, S. 61 - 68 |
Organizational units: | Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Physik und Astronomie |
Peer review: | Referiert |
Institution name at the time of the publication: | Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Physik |