Evidence for a Quantum Size Effect of the Conduction Electrons during Oxidation of Cs

The transition from Cs to Cs11O3 leads to a twofold increase of the intensity of electron emission from the valence band (and to a substantial decrease of the emission from the Cs 5p-core levels) as probed by metastable deexcitation spectroscopy, although the concentration of conduction electrons is reduced by about 50%. This phenomenon is attributed to a quantum size effect of the conduction electrons as proposed in a theory by Burt and Heine. © 1986 The American Physical Society.