Transition absorption as a mechanism of surface photoelectron emission from metals

TL;DR

This paper investigates how transition absorption at material boundaries significantly influences surface photoelectron emission from metals, combining classical and quantum perspectives.

Contribution

It introduces transition absorption as a key mechanism affecting surface photoelectric effects, providing a comprehensive analysis of its role.

Findings

Transition absorption can substantially enhance photoelectron emission.

Both classical and quantum models show the importance of transition absorption.

Surface photoelectric effect is significantly influenced by boundary properties.

Abstract

Transition absorption of electromagnetic field energy by an electron passing through a boundary between two media with different dielectric permittivities is considered both classically and quantum mechanically. It is shown that transition absorption can make a substantial contribution to the process of electron photoemission from metals due to the surface photoelectric effect.