A laser method for the determination of the electron emission coeflicient y for t h e impact of slow laser-excited rare gas atoms Rg*[mps(m + I)p 3D,] on surfaces is described. It is based on controlled partial depletion of metastable Rg'[mp5(m + I)s3P,] atoms in a collimated beam by two-step laser photoionization in combination with saturated laser excitation of the metastable ('P,) atoms to the ('DJ level at the surface. T h e method simultaneously yields the coefficents.! for the metastable Rgr(3P2) and the laser-excited Rg'('0,) atoms. As an application, we report y values corresponding to the impact of Ar'(3P,, 3D,) and Kr*(3P,, 'D,) atoms on several gas-covered metal surfaces. The data show that the electron emission process involves Auger de-excitation and can be interpreted as Penning ionization of adsorbed molecules. Comparison of t h e y values for the four excited rare gas species shows a complex excitation energy dependence .