Optical properties of metallic nanowires

The optical response of metallic nanowires is determined taking into account the non-local electron response by use of a self-consistent method and a jellium model. An exact formula for the reflection factor is obtained in the usual case of an hydrodynamic dielectric function. Up to a constant factor it coincides with the non-retarded limit of the amplitude obtained in a previous calculation, leading finally to the same extinction function. This function is calculated for certain metallic nanowires of experimental interest (Na, Ag). From the non-retarded near field response, the scattering amplitude at any distance can be derived. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.