Ejection of quasi-free-electron pairs from the helium-atom ground state by single-photon absorption

We investigate the single-photon double ionization of helium at photon energies of 440 and 800 eV. We observe doubly charged ions with close to zero momentum corresponding to electrons emitted back to back with equal energy. These slow ions are the unique fingerprint of an elusive quasifree photon d...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review letters 2013-07, Vol.111 (1), p.013003-013003, Article 013003
Main Authors: Schöffler, M S, Stuck, C, Waitz, M, Trinter, F, Jahnke, T, Lenz, U, Jones, M, Belkacem, A, Landers, A L, Pindzola, M S, Cocke, C L, Colgan, J, Kheifets, A, Bray, I, Schmidt-Böcking, H, Dörner, R, Weber, Th
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:We investigate the single-photon double ionization of helium at photon energies of 440 and 800 eV. We observe doubly charged ions with close to zero momentum corresponding to electrons emitted back to back with equal energy. These slow ions are the unique fingerprint of an elusive quasifree photon double ionization mechanism predicted by Amusia et al. nearly four decades ago [J. Phys. B 8, 1248 (1975)]. It results from the nondipole part of the electromagnetic interaction. Our experimental data are supported by calculations performed using the convergent close-coupling and time-dependent close-coupling methods.
ISSN:0031-9007
1079-7114
DOI:10.1103/physrevlett.111.013003