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In this paper we analyse the mechanisms responsible for the bonding ofelectrons to metal surfaces. We present and validate a method to measure theenergy distribution of dense electron ensembles at ambient conditions. We havefound sharp structures in the energy distribution of charge confined at metalsurfaces. These structures correspond to the onset of space charge i.e.electron emission. The threshold energy for emission increases linear with thefree electron density. We conclude that the work function is a direct measureof the Hartree-Fock exchange energy. Remarkably, the emissions that have beenobserved do not obey the Einstein-Millikan threshold relation for the photoelectric effect. By discrimination between requirements for energy and momentumwe deduce that electron emissions are trigged by photon momentum. We claim thatthe photo electric effect is the result of a phase transition in an electrongas that connects a surface bound, condensed state to a free continuum state.The assignment of a phase transition to the effect under consideration isjustified by analyzing the behaviour of the Fermi-Dirac energy distributionupon raising the Fermi level. We predict an abrupt increment in the number ofelectrons in the continuum that exceeds 70 orders of magnitude. Both theobserved threshold energy and the line shape of the transition are in goodagreement with theoretical predictions.

The origin of the work function