We calculate the photoelectron escape depth in the high-temperature superco
nductor Bi2212 by use of electron energy-loss spectroscopy data. We find th
at the escape depth is only 3 Angstrom for photon energies typically used i
n angle-resolved photoemission measurements. We then use this to estimate t
he number of inelastic secondaries, and find this to be quite small near th
e Fermi energy. This implies that the large background seen near the Fermi
energy in photoemission measurements is of some other origin. [S0163-1829(9
9)08017-0].