Probing dielectric-response effects with attosecond time-resolved streaked photoelectron spectroscopy of metal surfaces

The release of conduction-band electrons from a metal surface by a subfemtosecond extreme ultraviolet (XUV) pulse and their propagation through the solid provoke a dielectric response in the solid that acts back on the photoelectron wave packet. We calculated the (wake) potential associated with this photoelectron self-interaction in terms of bulk and surface plasmon excitations and show that it induces a considerable, XUV-frequency-dependent temporal shift in laser-streaked XUV photoemission spectra, suggesting the observation of the ultrafast solid-state dielectric response in contemporary streaked photoemission experiments.