Electronic polarizability of small metal spheres

Abstract

We present the results of calculations for the ground-state electron structure, static polarizability, and dynamic response of small metal (jellium) spheres in vacuum or embedded in a dielectric. Fully self-consistent time-dependent density-functional methods are used. In particular, the static and dynamic responses to an incident electric field (dipolar polarizability and photoabsorption) are obtained. The results show substantial deviations from either classical or approximate quantum-mechanical solutions, and provide reference data for simplified treatments.