Metal invisible in the ultraviolet?

[JoAuSc]

I was reading the plasmon chapter of my solid state physics book and it says simple metals should reflect light in the visible region and transmit it in the ultraviolet, roughly speaking. (I think I read in a paper that for some metals, like Au and Cu, the threshold wavelength is in the visible, which contributes to their color.) Does this mean that, given ultraviolet goggles, one could see through metal? Does anyone know where to find pictures of this?

 

[ZapperZ]

I was reading the plasmon chapter of my solid state physics book and it says simple metals should reflect light in the visible region and transmit it in the ultraviolet, roughly speaking. (I think I read in a paper that for some metals, like Au and Cu, the threshold wavelength is in the visible, which contributes to their color.) Does this mean that, given ultraviolet goggles, one could see through metal? Does anyone know where to find pictures of this?

If it is thin enough.

Off the top of my head, what you dealing with here is the plasma cutoff frequency. Below this frequency, EM radiation does not get transmitted and instead, gets reflected. However, above that frequency, the plasma does not oscillate fast enough to cause complete attenuation of the EM wave and thus, it can start transmitting through.

However, this model only considers the electrons in metals as being a "simple" plasma without any regards to the lattice ions. At some point, the lattice ions vibration modes (the phonons) will come into play. So this will affect the transmission capability, especially if the EM radiation has to pass through a thicker distance though the metal.

Zz.

 

[charng]

I can provide some clarification on this topic. The statement that simple metals should reflect visible light and transmit ultraviolet light is generally true. This is due to the electronic structure of metals, where the valence electrons are free to move and can easily absorb and reflect light in the visible region. However, when it comes to ultraviolet light, the behavior of metals can vary.

Some metals, like gold and copper, have a threshold wavelength in the visible region, meaning that they absorb and reflect most of the visible light but transmit some of the ultraviolet light. This is why these metals have a distinct color in the visible spectrum. However, there are also metals that have a threshold wavelength in the ultraviolet region, meaning that they absorb and reflect most of the ultraviolet light and appear invisible in the ultraviolet range.

It is important to note that this behavior is highly dependent on the specific metal and its properties, and it does not mean that one could see through all metals with ultraviolet goggles. Additionally, the concept of "seeing through" a metal is not accurate as the metal still reflects and absorbs some of the light.

As for pictures of this phenomenon, there are some available online, but they may be difficult to find as it is not a commonly studied topic. I suggest searching for "ultraviolet transmission of metals" or "invisible metals in ultraviolet" to find relevant images. However, it is important to critically evaluate the source and ensure that the images are scientifically accurate and not manipulated.

In summary, while some metals may appear invisible in the ultraviolet range, this behavior is not universal and is dependent on the specific metal and its properties. It is also important to note that this does not mean that one could see through all metals with ultraviolet goggles.