1A1 - Photoelectron statistics produced by a laser operating below and above the threshold of oscillation

A simple semiclassical derivation is given of the statistics of the photoelectrons emitted from a photosurface illuminated by light with statistically time dependent intensity. Comparison is made with the quantum mechanical expressions. Experiments are described that yield the probability of emission of
n
photoelectrons within a fixed time interval from a photocathode illuminated by a laser below and above threshold. The experimental results are compared with the theory developed in this paper and expressions derived by Glauber.