Momentum-resolved dynamics of Ar/Cu(100) interface states probed by time-resolved two-photon photoemission

Abstract

The electron dynamics of buried Ar/Cu(1 0 0) image-potential states was investigated by time-resolved two-photon photoemission (2PPE) as a function of parallel momentum. The first interface state shows a parabolic dispersion with an effective mass of 0.6. Its lifetime of 110 fs at the Γ̄-point decreases with increasing parallel momentum. The momentum dependence of the decay can be understood by intra- and inter-band decay processes mediated by Cu electrons, just as the decay of image-potential states on the clean Cu(1 0 0) surface. © IOP Publishing Ltd and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft.