Photoelectron emission from small spherical particles*

Photoemission yields (photoelectrons/photon absorbed) are investigated for small spheres (radius a) whose dimensions are comparable with the length from which the photoelectrons are thought to be ejected and with the wavelength λ of the incident light. These yields can be greater than for the usual plane surfaces by a factor of 2 or more, especially when 2πα⪝λ. If interstellar dust grains are as small (α ≈ 102 Å) as suggested by some recent investigations, their photoemission yield will be enhanced over laboratory measurements by this factor.