Dynamic screening and electron–electron scattering in low-dimensional metallic systems

The modification of dynamic screening in the electron–electron interaction in systems with reduced dimensionality and tunable one-particle electronic structure is studied. Two examples of such systems are considered, namely, the adsorbate-induced quantum well states at the Na adlayer covered Cu(1 1 1) surface, and metal clusters of sizes up to few nanometers. The dependence of the electron–electron decay rates on the Na coverage in the former case and on the cluster size in the latter is investigated. The role played by the dynamical screened interaction in such processes is addressed as well.