Photoemission properties of the Au, SnCd, and Li electrodes in propylene carbonate solutions

Photoemission currents I of the Au and SnCd electrodes are measured in 1 IM LiClO4 solved in propylene carbonate as functions of the potential E and t he energy of a quantum of light <(h)over bar omega>. In both cases the illu minated metals emit electrons into solution. The I vs. E and I vs. <(h)over bar omega> dependences in the near-threshold interval of energies are sati sfactorily described by the five-second law 1 similar to (<(h)over bar omeg a> - <(h)over bar omega(0)> - eE)(5/2). The work function <(h)over bar omeg a(0)> does not depend on the metal nature and equals 0.7 +/- 0.05 eV at the equilibrium potential of the Li/Li+ electrode. Photoemission properties of Au, SnCd, and Li are compared. Lithium is characterized by photoemission o f electrons into a passive film with <(h)over bar omega(0)> = 1.0 +/- 0.05 eV. The electrochemical intercalation of Li into SnCd alloy alters the mech anism of the electrode photoprocesses. In this case, spectral dependences o bey the dependence I similar to exp(-sigma<(h)over bar omega>/kT), which ma y be typical for an inner photoeffect in a surface layer.