Experimental verification of the anomalous skin effect in copper using emissivity measurements

Abstract

Spectral directional emissivity has been measured in copper between 3 and 24 μm above room temperature. The experimental spectrum shows a weak broad peak between 7 and 14 μm, which is much more acute for higher emission angles. However, the peak width and position are both independent of the emission angle. The experimental results are in very good agreement with the semiclassical theory of the optical properties of metals in the regime of the anomalous skin effect, in particular with the asymptotic approximation. This comparison suggests that this work shows an optical experimental evidence of the anomalous skin effect.