Standing light wave in front of a silver mirror investigated by photothermal spectroscopy

Photothermal spectra of an isocyanine dye monolayer, separated from a silver mirror by a varying number of cadmium arachidate layers, are recorded with a pyroelectric calorimeter. The spatial dependence of the light intensity in front of the silver mirror is observed. The phase angle of a light wave upon reflection from the silver surface is determined to be 124±5°at a wavelength of 578 nm. The quantum yield for radiationless deexcitation at that wavelength is found to be 33±7%.