Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Photoelectron angular distributions from multiphoton ionization of cesium atoms

Journal Article · · Phys. Rev. A; (United States)
We present both experimental and theoretical studies of resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization of cesium atoms. Photoelectron angular distributions for two-photon ionization via the one-photon-allowed 7p /sup 2/P/sub 1/2,3/2/ and 8p /sup 2/P/sub 1/2,3/2/ intermediate states and three-photon ionization via the two-photon-allowed 8d /sup 2/D/sub 5/2,3/2/ resonant intermediate states are reported. The photoelectrons are energy analyzed with a spherical-sector electrostatic energy analyzer with an energy resolution of approx.0.1 eV and angular resolution of approx. +- 2/sup 0/. A straightforward calculation based upon a fine-structure scheme gives excellent agreement with the measured angular distributions for the /sup 2/P/sub 1/2/ states. The laser pulse duration is comparable to the hyperfine precession period which allows the hyperfine coupling to partially destroy the anisotropy initially produced in the /sup 2/P/sub 3/2/ resonant intermediate states. Quantitative calculations including hyperfine coupling take this into account and provide an expression which gives a reasonable fit to the /sup 2/P/sub 3/2/ data.
Research Organization:
Chemical Physics Section, Health and Safety Research Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-26
OSTI ID:
6235874
Journal Information:
Phys. Rev. A; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. A; (United States) Vol. 30:4; ISSN PLRAA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English