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Work Function of Lead
Phys. Rev. 102, 367 – Published 15 April, 1956
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRev.102.367
Abstract
The work functions of twelve lead surfaces have been determined by measurement of their contact differences of potential with respect to barium reference surfaces of known work function. The lead surfaces were prepared by subjecting Hilger's spectroscopic lead to intensive outgassing followed by fractional distillation, redistillation, and deposition on glass targets. The barium surfaces were prepared by a similar standardized technique which yields surfaces constant and reproducible to 0.01 ev. Measurement was by the electron beam method, and the time lapse between deposition and measurement of a fresh surface was five seconds.
The contact difference of potential for Ba- Pb is found to be 1.48±0.01 v. The work function of lead, referred to a Ba work function of 2.52 ev, is then 4.00±0.02 ev. No drift of work function exceeding 0.01 ev was found on aging. Since the minimal time required for deposition of a monolayer of gas is large with respect to the metal deposition-measurement interval, it is concluded (1) that the film of gaseous contaminants adsorbed by a lead surface during equilibration is insufficiently dense to affect the work function, and (2) that the observed work function is probably characteristic of clean lead.
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