Electron work function in alloys with alkali metals

The electron work function in alloys and compounds containing alkali metals, which are of interest for the designing of new photocathode materials and further development of the theory of electron emission, is studied. It is shown that a number of applied and theoretical issues in this field are poorly understood. These are the temperature and concentration dependences of the electron work function in binary metallic systems, the surface activity of components that are inactive in alloys with alkali metals, and some others.