Controlling Two-Electron Threshold Dynamics in Double Photoionization of Lithium by Initial-State Preparation

Journal Article · Fri Sep 04 00:00:00 EDT 2009 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVLETT.103.103008· OSTI ID:21364670

Zhu, G; Schuricke, M; Steinmann, J; Albrecht, J; Dorn, A ^[1]; Ullrich, J ^[1]; Ben-Itzhak, I ^[2]; Zouros, T J. M. ^[3]; Colgan, J ^[4]; Pindzola, M S ^[5]

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1. Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1, 69117 Heidelberg (Germany)
2. J. R. Macdonald Laboratory, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506 (United States)
3. Department of Physics, University of Crete, P.O. Box 2208, 71003, Heraklion, Crete (Greece)
4. Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States)
5. Department of Physics, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849 (United States)

Double photoionization (DPI) and ionization-excitation (IE) of Li(2s) and Li(2p), state-prepared and aligned in a magneto-optical trap, were explored in a reaction microscope at the free-electron laser in Hamburg (FLASH). From 6 to 12 eV above threshold ((Planck constant/2pi)omega=85, 91 eV), total as well as differential DPI cross sections were observed to critically depend on the initial state and, in particular, on the alignment of the 2p orbital with respect to the VUV-light polarization, whereas no effect is seen for IE. The alignment sensitivity is traced back to dynamical electron correlation at threshold.

• OSTI ID: 21364670
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 103, Issue 10; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.103.103008; (c) 2009 The American Physical Society; ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
CROSS SECTIONS
ELECTRON CORRELATION
ELECTRONS
EV RANGE 01-10
EV RANGE 10-100
EXCITATION
FAR ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
FREE ELECTRON LASERS
LITHIUM
PHOTOIONIZATION
POLARIZATION
ALKALI METALS
CORRELATIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY RANGE
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EV RANGE
FERMIONS
IONIZATION
LASERS
LEPTONS
METALS
RADIATIONS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION