surface electron
nounUK /ˈsɜːfɪs ɪˈlɛktrɒn/
US /ˈsɜːrfɪs ɪˈlɛktrɑːn/
An electron that sits on or very near the outside of a material.
The surface electron moved along the metal film when the light hit it.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. An electron trapped at the boundary between two materials, such as a solid and a liquid.
The surface electron at the electrode helped the chemical reaction go faster.
3. An electron in a surface state of a crystal, confined near the top atomic layer.
Scientists mapped the surface electron with a scanning probe.
4. An electron emitted or excited at a material's surface by light or heat.
The surface electron escaped the metal when the laser pulse arrived.