Plasma waves in a randomly inhomogeneous metal

Journal Article · Sun Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1981 · Sov. Phys. - JETP (Engl. Transl.); (United States)

OSTI ID:5417987

Ignatchenko, V A; Mankov, Y I; Rakhmanov, F V

The spectrum and damping of volume plasma waves in a randomly inhomogeneous metal are investigated by a method based on the theory of random functions. The inhomogeneity is introduced as a small correction to the periodic lattice potential and is described by a random function with an arbitrary correlation radius 1/k/sub 0/, which depends on the characteristic size of the inhomogeneities and is assumed to exceed considerably the lattice constant. The inhomogeneous potential can interact with the plasma wave either directly or indirectly by modifying the equilibrium distribution function of the conduction electrons. The modification of the plasma-excitation dispersion law is most significant for small wave numbers k. The dispersion curve ..omega..'(k) has an inflection in the vicinity of kroughly-equalk/sub 0/. At the same value of k, the plasma wave damping due to the inhomogeneities is a maximum. The theory is compared with experiment.

• Research Organization: L. V. Kirenskii Physics Institute, Siberian Division, USSR Academy of Sciences
• OSTI ID: 5417987
• Journal Information: Sov. Phys. - JETP (Engl. Transl.); (United States), Journal Name: Sov. Phys. - JETP (Engl. Transl.); (United States) Vol. 54:5; ISSN SPHJA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

656001* -- Condensed Matter Physics-- Solid-State Plasma
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
DISPERSION RELATIONS
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
FERMIONS
FUNCTIONS
LEPTONS
METALS
PLASMA
PLASMA WAVES
SOLID-STATE PLASMA