Dielectric response effects in attosecond time-resolved streaked photoelectron spectra of metal surfaces

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the dielectric response of a metal surface influences attosecond streaked photoelectron spectra, revealing a measurable ultrafast solid-state response caused by photoelectron self-interaction effects.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical calculation of the wake potential from photoelectron self-interaction, highlighting its impact on streaked photoemission spectra and enabling observation of ultrafast dielectric effects.

Findings

Dielectric response causes a frequency-dependent temporal shift in spectra.

Self-interaction effects induce measurable shifts in streaked photoemission.

Ultrafast solid-state dielectric response can be observed with current techniques.

Abstract

The release of conduction-band electrons from a metal surface by a sub-femtosecond extreme ultraviolet (XUV) pulse, and their propagation through the solid, provokes a dielectric response in the solid that acts back on the photoelectron wave packet. We calculated the (wake) potential associated with this photoelectron self-interaction in terms of bulk and surface plasmon excitations and show that it induces a considerable, XUV-frequency-dependent temporal shift in laser-streaked XUV photoemission spectra, suggesting the observation of the ultrafast solid-state dielectric response in contemporary streaked photoemission experiments.