Probing the dynamics of photoemission

Almost a century ago, Albert Einstein received the Nobel Prize for Physics for his explanation of the photoelectric effect. Published in 1905, Einstein's theory incorporated the idea that light is made up of particles called photons. When light impinges on matter, the electrons in the sample respond to the input of energy, and the interaction gives rise to what is known as the photoelectric effect. Light quanta (photons) are absorbed by the material and excite the bound electrons. Depending on the wavelength of the light source, this can result in the ejection of electrons. The electronic band structure of the material involved has a significant effect on the timescales of photoemission. Physicists based at Ludwig-Maximilian University (LMU) in Munich and the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics (MPQ) have now taken a closer look at the phenomenon of photoemission. They measured the influence of the band structure of tungsten on the dynamics of photoelectron emission, and provide theoretical interpretations of their observations.