METAL-SURFACE PHOTOELECTRIC EFFECT - DEPENDENCE ON THE DYNAMIC ELECTRON-DISTRIBUTION FUNCTION

We present here an aspect of the generalized Sommerfeld model that inc ludes all previous results obtained within this model and we extend it by including the effect of the deviation of the electron distribution function from equilibrium when taking into account the electron-elect ron and the electron-photon collision terms. The results allow an inte resting insight into the photoelectric effect which is clearly seen as a stepwise process. The calculations are in good agreement with exper imental results for the case of gold and show the strong dependence of the magnitude of the photosensitivity on the experimentally estimated value for the electron relaxation time among other parameters. (C) 19 97 Elsevier Science B.V.