Observation of Reflectance Fluctuations in Metals

TL;DR

This paper reports the observation of reflectance fluctuations in metals using advanced spectral analysis, revealing new insights into material properties and underlying physics.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method to measure reflectance fluctuations below the Standard Quantum Limit, enabling detailed analysis of material-dependent spectral properties.

Findings

Reflectance fluctuations vary with material type.

Spectral power can be measured down to $10^{-6}$ below the quantum limit.

New insights into the physics of metallic reflectance fluctuations.

Abstract

Through the study of the power spectra of a monochromatic light beam reflected by metallic mirrors, fluctuations in their reflectance is observed. The power spectra were obtained down to a factor $10^{-6}$ below the Standard Quantum Limit, with a dynamic range of $10^5$ in the frequency and power, using methods we developed. The properties of the spectra are investigated and their dependence on the material is analyzed. The physics underlying the phenomenon is also discussed. These fluctuations provide a new window for investigating the inner workings of materials.