Spectroscopy of a thin fullerene film on silver using sum frequency generation enhanced by visible surface plasmon-polaritons

For the first time the visible-infrared sum frequency generation (SFG) spec trum of a few nm thick fullerene film on silver has been measured in the 49 0-580 cm(-1) region. The SFG yield was enhanced by visible surface plasmon- polaritons excited at the fullerene-silver interface. In the SFG spectrum t here are bands present in the infrared and Raman spectra too. In addition o ne more band near 510 cm(-1) was found. We suggest that this band correspon ds to a surface specific vibration that appears due to interaction with sil ver. SFG spectroscopy supporting by the visible surface plasmon-polariton i s an excellent Cool to study interfacial layers. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.