Fröhlich resonance in the AsSb/AlGaAs system

The optical absorption in a metal-semiconductor metamaterial based on the AlGaAs matrix has been investigated. The key feature of this material is the presence of random arrays of metallic AsSb nanoinclusions modifying its dielectric properties. It has been shown that the presence of such arrays in the material leads to resonance absorption of light by surface plasmons in AsSb nanoinclusions in the incident photon energy range from 1.37 to 1.77 eV. The experimental spectrum of the extinction coefficient at an energy of 1.48 eV exhibits a resonance peak with the half-width equal to 0.18 eV. The extinction coefficient for AsSb nanoinclusions in the AlGaAs matrix has been calculated in terms of the Mie theory. The calculated spectrum of the extinction coefficient also includes a resonance peak with the energy and half-width equal to 1.48 and 0.18 eV, respectively. The calculated plasma energy for free-standing nanoinclusions in vacuum is 7.38 eV.