On the properties of the phenomenon like Vavilov-Cherenkov one with emission of surface plasmons

Abstract

The phenomenon is described that is an analogue of the Vavilov-Cherenkov phenomenon and that could be observable in a space with the boundary separated a well reflecting light metal and a dielectric. An electron that is moving at a constant velocity in proximity to the such boundary creates surface plasmon-polaritons with a phase velocity that is below the electron velocity. The linear momentum of a photon in the created plasmon-polariton is calculated. This momentum could be as high as a doubled initial electron momentum. In the other case the electron that has created the photon in the plasmon-polariton could totally lost its velocity. It is shown that at the non-zero temperature this process has a non-zero probability.