Optical Excitation of the Surface Photoelectric Effect of Metals Using Synchrotron Radiation

By fully exploiting the properties of synchrotron radiation, a surface photoyield spectrum of a metal, namely aluminum, was obtained for the first time. This type of spectrum has been theoretically discussed since 1928. The extreme surface sensitivity, which is implicit in the transition matrix element for the surface photoexcitation process, was experimentally confirmed. The applied photoemission technique, therefore, provides one of the most powerful tools for the investigation of charge distribution and dielectric response at metal surfaces.