Surface photoeffect for metals

Abstract

A nonlocal theory for the surface photoeffect produced in metals by vacuum ultraviolet radiation is presented. Using a simple electron-gas model, it is shown that $p$-polarized incident light generates, in the surface region, a strongly spatially dependent vector potential having longitudinal character; it is argued that the photoemission associated with this longitudinal contribution constitutes the surface photoeffect. Various physical features, including the role of the optical constants and the nondirect nature of the electronic transitions involved, are discussed. It is shown that the nonlocal effects are significant over a wide range of frequencies and for systems other than the electron gas.