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) spectrum of a few nm thick fullerene film on silver has been measured in the 490–580 cm−1 region. The SFG yield was enhanced by visible surface plasmon–polaritons excited at the fullerene–silver interface. In the SFG spectrum there are bands present in the infrared and Raman spectra too. In addition one more band near 510 cm−1 was found. We suggest that this band corresponds to a surface specific vibration that appears due to interaction with silver. SFG spectroscopy supporting by the visible surface plasmon–polariton is an excellent tool to study interfacial layers.