A method to map out the energy distribution N(E-parallel to,E-perpendicular
to) of an electron beam as a function of the longitudinal (E-parallel to)
and transverse (E-perpendicular to) energy has been developed and applied t
o study the photoemission process from GaAs(Cs, O) at 90 K. The method proc
eeds by "marking" electrons with fixed longitudinal energy E-parallel to(b)
and a subsequent measurement of the associated differential transverse ene
rgy distribution N-perpendicular to(E-parallel to(b),E-perpendicular to), a
pplying an adiabatic magnetic compression technique. The complete energy di
stribution N(E-parallel to,E-perpendicular to) of electrons from a GaAs(Cs,
O) photocathode obtained by a stepwise variation of E-parallel to(b) provi
des details about the transfer of electrons through the GaAs(Cs, O)-vacuum
interface and demonstrates that not only electron energy loss, but also ela
stic electron scattering is of crucial importance in the escape process. (C
) 2001 American Institute of Physics.