Electron Localization in Dissociating H_{2}^{+} by Retroaction of a Photoelectron onto Its Source

• Published in: Physical review letters 2016-01, Vol.116 (4), p.043001-043001
• Main Authors: Waitz, M, Aslitürk, D, Wechselberger, N, Gill, H K, Rist, J, Wiegandt, F, Goihl, C, Kastirke, G, Weller, M, Bauer, T, Metz, D, Sturm, F P, Voigtsberger, J, Zeller, S, Trinter, F, Schiwietz, G, Weber, T, Williams, J B, Schöffler, M S, Schmidt, L Ph H, Jahnke, T, Dörner, R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1079-7114
• DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.043001

We investigate the dissociation of H_{2}^{+} into a proton and a H^{0} after single ionization with photons of an energy close to the threshold. We find that the p^{+} and the H^{0} do not emerge symmetrically in the case of the H_{2}^{+} dissociating along the 1sσ_{g} ground state. Instead, a preference for the ejection of the p^{+} in the direction of the escaping photoelectron can be observed. This symmetry breaking is strongest for very small electron energies. Our experiment is consistent with a recent prediction by Serov and Kheifets [Phys. Rev. A 89, 031402 (2014)]. In their model, which treats the photoelectron classically, the symmetry breaking is induced by the retroaction of the long-range Coulomb potential onto the dissociating H_{2}^{+}.