Observation of surface enhanced multiphoton photoemission from metal surfaces in the short pulse limit

Photoelectrons with excess kinetic energy corresponding to several absorbed photons above the work function have been measured from atomically clean Cu(110) and Cu(100) surfaces under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. The power dependence of the photoemission yield does not follow a simple power law dependence corresponding to the number of photons absorbed. This behavior is reminiscent of other above threshold ionization (ATI) or tunnel ionization (TI) processes observed for atoms in the gas phase. The photoelectrons are generated with laser pulsewidths less than 100 fs in duration and peak powers as low as 100 MW/cm2. These intensities are on the order of 105 times lower than that required to observe similar phenomena in the gas phase. The relatively low intensities and correlation with surface roughness suggests a contribution from a surface enhancement mechanism. Thermal heating and space charge effects have been ruled out, and the possibility of electric field enhancement at the surface due to the coupling of photons into surface plasmons is discussed. The nonlinear yield and enhancement of the photoemission produced by short pulse excitation needs to be considered when discussing photoinduced hot electron reaction channels at metal surfaces.