Energy Loss Spectra and Plasmon Dispersions in Alkali Metals: Negative Plasmon Dispersion in Cs

We present ab initio calculations of the energy loss spectra and plasmon dispersions of the alkali metals Na, K, Rb, and Cs within the random phase approximation, including band structure effects and core electrons as well as local field effects, due to inhomogeneity in the induced charge density. Band structure effects are found to cause a negative dispersion in Cs.