With Pt(101) and Ag(110) as examples we discuss the application of Bergman
theory to describe optical anisotropy of laterally nanostructured metal sur
faces. In both cases the surfaces are characterized by scanning tunneling m
icroscopy. The clean Pt(100) surface shows a pseudo-hexagonal reconstructio
n. The incommensurability of the top layer with the underlying cubic struct
ure leads to a corrugated surface. The observed reflection-anisotropy spect
rum (RAS) can be accounted for by a simple choice for the surface spectral
density function. In the Ag(110) case we measure and discuss the spectra wh
en the surface step edges are parallel with the in-plane [110] direction, a
nd when there is a statistically isotropic distribution of steps and terrac
es. The spectra are interpreted in terms of local-field calculations where
the screened dipole-dipole interaction coefficients are modified by surface
steps. Step-induced coupling to surface plasmons is proposed as an additio
nal mechanism. The influence of both effects on the experimental reflection
-anisotropy curve increases with decreasing correlation length. The plasmon
-based mechanism takes place already at lengths of order 10(2) nm, whereas
the cut-off in the dipole-dipole interaction needs correlation lengths that
are almost one magnitude lower to be important.