PHOTOELECTRIC QUANTUM YIELD OF NANOMETER METAL PARTICLES

The absolute photoelectric quantum yield of nanometer metal particles (Ni, Pd, Cu, Ag, Au) is measured from threshold up to photon energies hnu of 10 eV. The particles are produced and measured in ultrapure hel ium at atmospheric pressure. Yield Y and photothreshold phi are compar ed to bulk data. The shape of Y(hnu) is similar for particle and bulk with all investigated materials except Ag. All metals have in common t hat the particle yield is larger by a factor almost-equal-to 100 compa red to the bulk yield. Apart from electrostatic corrections due to the image and Coulomb potential, the photoelectric threshold is identical for the bulk and the particle.