Nanoplasmon‐Nanoplasma Transition in Cu Nanoparticle: Distinction of Electron Emission

The electron response of nanoplasmon and nanoplasma in the laser field is greatly important for improving the functionality and efficiency of many potential applications. However, how and under what conditions the nanoplasmon-nanoplasma transition works remains poorly understood due to radiation damage and charge buildup. Utilizing the combined aerodynamic lens and velocity map imaging spectrometer, this transition mediated by different mechanisms are demonstrated, as verified by the distinct photoelectron momentum distributions from Cu nanoparticles. Initially the polarization-dependent distributions emphasize the domination of surface emission driven by the plasmonic field. Subsequently the transition starts and the competition of volume-multiphoton and thermionic emission plays the intermediate state dominating the transition process. Finally, a complete plasma is generated with the leading role of thermionic emission, which is confirmed by first observing the correlated electronic decay in metal nanoparticles. These findings bridge the gap between electron emission in nanoplasmonic and nanoplasma states and identify the mechanism-specific contributions, which will offer general principles for designing nanostructure and laser fields to control electron excitation and emission in practice.