For the electron theory of dimensional effect of surface energy and electron work function in metal films

Within the framework of a ''Jelly'' model of a metal film and the theory of inhomogeneous electron gas the authors made variational calculations of a thickness dependence of surface energy (SE) and electron work function (EWF) of thin metal films condensed on dielectric substrates. The distribution of electron density and electrostatic potential was found as a function of the film thickness and substrate penetrability. It was established that dielectric substrate led to the shift of the electron distribution maximum and to condensation of electron density in a film. The ''tail'' of electron distribution was drawn deep into a dielectric, as it used to be at the boundary of massive metal and dielectric. It was shown that EWF increased with the thickness decrease, but SE decreased