One-electron model for the electronic response of metal surfaces to subfemtosecond photoexcitation.

The recent work of Cavalieri et al. [Nature (London) 449, 1029 (2007)10.1038/nature06229] has provided the first experimental observation of electron dynamics at metal surfaces in the subfemtosecond range. We explain the experimental findings using a full time-dependent approach within a one-dimensional model that includes the main ingredients of the short time physics involved in the experiment.