Collective motion of electrons on an interface of two phases which have different permittivity, of which one must have electrical conductivity to sustain the collective motion.
Notes: - Metals such as silver and gold are well known examples of materials exhibiting surface plasmon behaviour.
- Collective motion of electrons is induced by an injection of energetic particles, for example photons, electrons, ions, or alpha particles.
Source:
PAC, 2020, 92, 1781. 'Glossary of methods and terms used in surface chemical analysis (IUPAC Recommendations 2020)' on page 1816 (https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2019-0404)