Optical properties of metals

Concept Chech 21.3 Why are metals transparent to high-frequency x-ray and 7-ray radiation [The answer may be found at www.wiley.com/college/callister (Student Companion Site).] 

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The optical properties of metal nanoparticles have traditionally relied on Mie tlieory, a purely classical electromagnetic scattering tlieory for particles witli known dielectrics [172]. For particles whose size is comparable to or larger tlian tire wavelengtli of the incident radiation, tliis calculation is ratlier cumbersome. However, if tire scatterers are smaller tlian -10% of tire wavelengtli, as in nearly all nanocrystals, tire lowest-order tenn of Mie tlieory is sufficient to describe tire absorjDtion and scattering of radiation. In tliis limit, tire absorjDtion is detennined solely by tire frequency-dependent dielectric function of tire metal particles and the dielectric of tire background matrix in which tliey are... 

The opportunity to synthesize new conjugated polymers with improved properties began to attract the attention of a larger number of synthetic chemists in the 1980s. Equally important was the subsequent development of stable, processible metallic polymers. As a result of these efforts, we now have a class of materials which exhibit a unique combination of properties the electronic and optical properties of metals and semiconductors in combination with the processing advantages and mechanical properties of polymers. 

U. Kreibig and M. Vollmer, Optical Properties of Metal Clusters, Springer Series Materials Science. Springer, New York, 1995. 

Kelly, K.L., Coronado, E., Zhao, L.L. and Schatz, G.C. (2003) The optical properties of metal nanoparticles the influence of size, shape, and dielectric environment. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 107, 668-677. 

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