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Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Evanescent Field Based Photoacoustics: Optical Property Evaluation at Surfaces
Published on: July 26, 2016
Intrinsic and roughness-induced absorption of electromagnetic radiation incident on optical surfaces
Abstract:
The intrinsic and the surface-induced optical absorption of typical metals are calculated for various wavelengths and roughness parameters as a function of incident angle. In the infrared region the surface-induced absorption is <10% of the total absorption and is insensitive to the wavelength for high-quality mirrors. However, for mirrors of certain periodic structure the presence of a surface plasma resonance can generate substantial absorption. Absorption caused by Gaussian-shaped surface defects is also considered. The results are discussed with some experiments in laser damage research.
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