Photoionization cross section and oscillator strength distribution in the near-threshold region of strontium

We present experimentally measured absolute values of the photoionization cross sections from the 5s5p ¹P₁ and 5s5p ³P₁ excited states of strontium at the first ionization threshold as 11.4±1.8 Mb and 10.7±1.7 Mb respectively using saturated absorption technique along with a thermionic diode ion detector in conjunction with a Nd:YAG pumped dye laser system. These threshold photoionization cross sections values have been utilized to determine the oscillator strengths of the 5s5p ¹P₁↦5snd ¹D₂ and 5s5p ³P₁↦5snd ³D₂ Rydberg transitions. The oscillator strength densities in the continuum corresponding to the 5s5p ³P₁ excited state have also been determined by measuring the photoionization cross sections at five ionizing wavelengths above the first ionization threshold. Smooth merging of the discrete f-values into the oscillator strength densities has been observed for the 5s5p ³P₁↦5snd ³D₂ series across the ionization threshold.     

Photoionization cross sections of Fe XXI

Total and partial photoionization cross sections for (Fe XXI+hν→Fe XXII+e) are presented for the ground and excited bound states with n?10 and l?9. Fe XXI is prevalent in high-temperature astrophysical plasmas as well as in photoionized plasmas excited by hard X-rays. Results are reported for the first time for the high-energy photoionization with core excitations to n=2,3 states. Details of photoionization, especially the high-energy features that often dominate considerably over the low energy ones, are illustrated. These prominent features will affect the photoionization and the recombination rates in high-temperature plasmas. Calculations are carried out in the close coupling (CC) approximation using the R-matrix method. A large CC wavefunction expansion for Fe XXII which includes the ground and 28 excited core states from n=2 and 3 complexes and spans over a wide energy range is used. A total of 835 discrete bound states of Fe XXI in the singlet, triplet, and quintet symmetries are obtained. Total photoionization cross sections, σ_PI(nLS), for ionization into all 29 states are presented for all 835 final bound states and partial photoionization cross sections, σ_PI(g,nLS), for ionization into the ground ²P⁰ state of the core are presented for 685 states. While the n=2 core excitations are at relatively lower energy range (within 15 Ry from the ionization threshold), the n=3 excitations lie at considerably higher energy, 73 Ry and above, yet introduce resonant features and enhancements more prominent than those of n=2 states. Larger numbers of resonances are formed due to Rydberg series of autoionizing states converging on to the 29 core states. However, most noticeable structures are formed in the excited state cross sections by the photoexcitation-of-core (PEC) resonances in the photon energy range of 73-82 Ry. All these high-energy features are absent in the currently available results. The present results should enable more accurate modeling of the emission spectrum of highly excited plasma from the optical to far-ultraviolet region.     

Oscillator strength measurements of the 3p ↦ nd Rydberg transitions of sodium

We report new measurements of the oscillator strengths of the 3p ²P_3/2 ↦nd ²D_{5/2, 3/2} and 3p ²P_1/2 ↦ nd ²D_3/2 Rydberg transitions of sodium using a thermionic diode ion detector in conjunction with the Nd:YAG pumped dye lasers. The ns ²S_1/2 and nd ²D_5/2,3/2 Rydberg series have been recorded via two-step excitation, from the 3p ²P_3/2 and 3p ²P_1/2 intermediate states. Employing the saturation technique, the photoionization cross sections from the 3p ²P_3/2 and 3p ²P_1/2 intermediate states at the first ionization threshold are determined as 7.9(1.3) Mb and 6.7(1.1) Mb respectively. The f-values of the Rydberg transitions are calibrated with the photoionization cross section measured at the first ionization threshold and compared with the earlier data.     

Measurement of the photoionization cross-section of the 3p 2P1/2, 3/2 excited levels of sodium

The photoionization cross-section and number density of the 3p ²P_1/2,3/2 excited levels of sodium have been measured as a function of the laser energy using two-step laser excitation in conjunction with a thermionic diode working in the space charge limited mode. Employing the saturation technique, the cross-sections for the 3p ²P_1/2 and 3p ²P_3/2 levels are determined as 2.16 (43) Mb and 3.74 (74) Mb respectively.     

Measurements of photoionization cross sections from the 4p, 5d and 7s excited states of potassium

New measurements of the photoionization cross sections from the 4p ²P_1/2,3/2, 5d ²D_5/2,3/2 and 7s ²S_1/2 excited states of potassium are presented. The cross sections have been measured by two-step excitation and ionization using a Nd:YAG laser in conjunction with a thermionic diode ion detector. By applying the saturation technique, the absolute values of the cross sections from the 4p ²P_3/2 and 4p ²P_1/2 states at 355 nm are determined as 7.2±1.1 and 5.6±0.8 Mb, respectively. The photoionization cross section from the 5d ²D_5/2,3/2 excited state has been measured using two excitation paths, two-step excitation and two-photon excitation from the ground state. The measured values of the cross sections from the 5d ²D_5/2 state by two-photon excitation from the ground state is 28.9±4.3 Mb, whereas in the two-step excitation, the cross section from the 5d ²D_3/2 state via the 4p ²P_1/2 state and from the 5d ²D_5/2,3/2 states via the 4p ²P_3/2 state are determined as 25.1±3.8 and 30.2±4.5 Mb, respectively. Besides, we have measured the photoionization cross sections from the 7s ²S_1/2 excited state using the two-photon excitation from the ground state as 0.61±0.09 Mb.     

Relativistic R-matrix close-coupling calculations for photoionization of Ne-like Al IV

We present relativistic close-coupling photoionization calculations of Al IV using the Breit-Pauli R-matrix method to obtain photoionization cross-section of Al IV from the ground state and the lowest two J=0 (even) excited states. A multi-configuration eigenfunctions expansion of the core Al V is employed with spectroscopic configurations 2s²2p⁵, 2s2p⁶, 2s²2p⁴3s, 2s²2p⁴3p, 2s²2p⁴3d and 2s²2p⁴4s. We have included, for the first time, the lowest 68 level target states of Al V in the photoionization calculations of Al IV. Extensive configuration interaction wavefunctions are used to describe both the initial Al IV states and the final Al V states. Cross-sections are compared from three level calculations including only 2s² 2p^{5 2}P^o _3/2, _1/2 and 2s 2p^{6 2}S_1/2 levels of Al V. The present calculation using the lowest 68 target levels of Al V are presented for the first time and should provide reasonably complete database for practical application for photoionization cross-section for Al IV, where high-energy cross-sections along with near-threshold photoionization cross-section is required.     

Relative partial photoionization cross-section of methylacetylene to the X2E ion state over the photon energy range 11–26 eV

Relative partial cross-sections for photoionization to the X²E ground state of the methylacetylene ion over the photon energy range 11–26 e V have been determined using synchrotron radiation. The observed cross-sections show a broad resonance feature similar to the results for photoionization to the X²II_u ground state of the acetylene ion. An explanation involving autoionization from a π^* (e) excited state is proposed.     

Photoelectron and electronic absorption spectra of SCl2, S2Cl2, S2Br2 and (CH3)2S2

Photoelectron and electronic absorption spectra of SCl₂, S₂Cl₂, S₂Br₂, and (CH₃)₂S₂ have been measured and analyzed. Quantum chemical calculations (CNDO/ 2 and MWH (Mulliken-Wolfsberg-Helmholtz) have been carried out and the electronic structures have been described in terms of molecular orbital theory. The variation in differential photoionization cross-section as a function of incident photon energy and results of MO computations are used to identify ionization bands and assign ground state MO configurations. Suggested ground state electronic structures coupled with computed virtual MO's are used to interpret the visible and near-ultraviolet electronic absorption spectra. The low energy excited states are described as molecular states followed by the initial members of Rydberg series. Calculated oscillator strengths for molecular transitions are in good agreement with those observed experimentally. Quantum defects, δ, for the Rydberg states have been calculated from the Rydberg equation using the adiabatic first ionization potential.     

Alternate technique for simultaneous measurement of photoionization cross-section of isotopes by TOF mass spectrometer

New measurements of photoionization cross-sections of the lithium isotopes are reported employing a Time of Flight (TOF) mass spectrometer in conjunction with an atomic beam apparatus. Using a two-step selective photoionization and saturation technique, we have simultaneously measured the photoionization cross-section of the 2p excited state of both the isotopes Li⁶ and Li⁷ as 15±2.5 Mb and 18 ±2.5 Mb where as the corresponding number densities have been determined as N₀≈5.3×10¹⁰ atoms/cm³ and N₀≈6.2×10¹¹ atoms/cm³ respectively.     

Two-color pump-probe experiments in helium using high-order harmonics

A pump-probe technique has been applied for measuring the lifetimes and absolute photoionization cross-sections of excited He states. The 1s2p ¹P and 1s3p ¹P states of He are excited by using the 13th and the 14th harmonic, respectively, of a tunable 70 ps dye laser generated in a Kr gas jet. The states are ionized after a varying time delay, by absorption of probe photons with energies between 1.6 and 4.5 eV. Lifetimes of τ(1s2p) = 0.57 ns and τ(1s3p) = 1.76 ns are determined with a precision of about 15%. A significant enhancement of the number of ions present in the lifetime curves at zero time delay for pressures above 6×10^-5 mbar is attributed to direct two-photon ionization of He in combination with AC Stark broadening of the excited state and absorption of the XUV light in the medium. Absolute photoionization cross-sections from the He 1s2p ¹P and He 1s3p ¹P states in the threshold region are determined by measuring the saturation of the ionization process with a precision of ∼ 25%. In addition, the variation of the relative orientation between the polarization vectors of the pump and probe beams enables the determination of partial photoionization cross-sections. Received 3 June 2002 / Received in final form 14 August 2002 Published online 22 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"Present address: Department of Biophysics, Leiden University, 2333 CA Leiden, The Netherlands. RID="b" ID="b"Present address: Continuum Electro-Optics Inc., 3150 Central Expressway, Santa Clara, CA 95051, USA. RID="c" ID="c"Present address: CEA/DRECAM/SPAM, CEN Saclay, 91105 Gif-sur-Yvette, France. RID="d" ID="d"Present address: Department of Physics, National University of Rwanda, Butare, Rwanda. RID="e" ID="e"Present address: CELIA, Université Bordeaux 1, 33405 Talence, France. RID="f" ID="f"Present address: MAX-Lab, Lund University, Box 118, 221 00 Lund, Sweden. RID="g" ID="g"e-mail: anne.lhuillier@fysik.lth.se     

Two-photon photoionization by singlet–singlet annihilation in polycrystalline,thin perylene films

Two-photon photoionization processes in thin, polycrystalline, α- and β-crystalline perylene films have been investigated for photon energies at the optical absorption threshold. The kinetic energy of the emitted electrons is found to be essentially independent of the photon energy, indicating that geometrically relaxed excited states are involved. The high ionization yield at such low photon energies is therefore attributed rather to the annihilation of adiabatically relaxed singlet excitons than to the direct two-photon ionization process. This leads to hole final states different from those obtained in one-photon, vertical ionization processes.     

Dipole oscillator strengths for the photoabsorption,photoionization and fragmentation of molecular oxygen

The photoabsorption, photoionization and fragmentation of O₂ have been studied using electron impact coincidence methods to obtain branching ratios and dipole oscillator strengths (cross-sections). The photoabsorption measurements cover the energy range 5–300 eV while the formation of electronic states of O₂⁺ (photoelectron spectroscopy) and the resulting ionic fragmentation (photoionization mass spectrometry) are both measured from close to threshold up to photon energies of 75 eV. The binding energy spectra of O₂ show peaks at 33, 47 and 57 eV in addition to those reported elsewhere in the literature. These peaks are assigned to multiple final ion states arising from photoionization of the inner valence orbitals. Structure in the O₂⁺ electronic state partial oscillator strength curves is in good agreement with recent theoretical work which predicts the existence of several shape resonances. A quantitative picture of the dipole-induced breakdown of O₂ is obtained for the energy range 12–75 eV. The photoionization efficiency is found to be constant above 20 eV.     

Dissociative multiple photoionization of Br2, IBr,and I2 in the VUV and X-ray regions: a comparative study of the inner-shell processes involving Br(3d,3p,3s) and I(4d,4p,4s,3d,3p)

Dissociative multiple photoionization of the bromine, the iodine monobromide, and the iodine molecules in the Br(3d,3p,3s) and I(4d,4p,4s,3d,3p) inner-shell regions has been studied by using time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry coupled to synchrotron radiation in the ranges of 90∼978 eV for Br₂, 60∼133 eV for IBr, and 86∼998 eV for I₂. Total photoion and photoion–photoion coincidence (PIPICO) yields have been recorded as functions of the photon energy. Here, giant shape resonances have been observed beyond the thresholds of the inner-shells owing to the Br(3d¹⁰)→Br(3d⁹ϵf), I(4d¹⁰)→I(4d⁹ϵf), and I(3d¹⁰)→I(3d⁹ϵf) transitions. The dissociation processes of the multiply charged parent ions have also been evaluated from variations of photoelectron–photoion coincidence (PEPICO) and PIPICO spectra with the photon energy. From each Br(3p_3/2) (189.9 eV) and I(4p_3/2) threshold (129.9 eV), quintuple ionization of the molecules begins to play important roles in the photoionization, subsequently yielding ion pairs of X³⁺–X²⁺ (X=Br, I). From the I(3d_5/2) threshold (627.3 eV), loss of six electrons from iodine molecule additionally begins to play a minor role in the multiple photoionization, giving rise to the formation of ion pairs of either I³⁺–I³⁺ or I⁴⁺–I²⁺. A direct comparison of the strengths and the ranges of the I(4d) and Br(3d) giant resonances was successfully made from dissociative photoionization of IBr. Over the entire energy range examined, 60<E<133 eV, biased charge spread relevant to the specific core-hole states of IBr is observed, presumably reflecting the fact that charge localizes mostly in the excited atoms, which can be accounted for mainly by a two step decay via a fast dissociation followed by autoionization upon the VUV absorption.     

Electron spectrometry study of associative and penning ionization in laser excited sodium vapor

The first observation, by electron spectrometry, is reported in laser-excited sodium vapor of the primary low energy electrons produced by associative ionization and by Penning ionization of sodium atoms in highly excited n1 states. The sequential heating of these primary electrons has been observed in 1, 2 or 3 superelastic collisions with Na(3p) atoms. The variation of associative ionization was measured as a function of the excited state density by using inner-shell photoionization produced by synchrotron radiation. Finally, an associative ionization cross section of 3.8 X 10^-17 cm² and a Penning ionization cross section for the 5s state of 1.1 X 10^-12 cm² were found (within 50% uncertainty) for an oven temperature of 520 K.     

Photoemission studies of single crystals of titanium carbide

The electron distribution in the valence band from single crystals of titanium carbide has been studied by photoelectron spectroscopy with photon energies h?ω = 16.8, 21.2, 40.8 and 1486.6 eV. The most conspicious feature of the electron distribution curves for TiC is a hybridization between the titanium 3d and carbon 2p states at ca. 3–4-eV binding energy, and a single carbon 2s band at ca. 10 eV. By taking into account the strong symmetry and energy dependence of the photoionization crosssections, as well as the surface sensitivity, we have identified strong emission from a carbon 2p band at ? 2.9-eV energy. Our results are compared with several recent energy band structure calculations and other experimental data. Results from pure titanium, which have been used for reference purposes, are also presented.The valence band from single crystals of titanium carbide have been studied by means of photoelectron spectroscopy, with photon energies ranging from 16.8 to 1486.6 eV.By taking into account effects such as the symmetry and energy dependence of the photoionization cross-sections and surface sensitivity, we have found the valence band of titanium carbide to consist of two peaks. The upper part of the valence band at 3–4 eV below the Fermi level consists of a hybridization between Ti 3d and C 2p states. The C 2p states observed in our spectra were mainly excited from a band about 2.9 eV below the Fermi level. The APW^5–9, MAPW¹⁰ and EPM¹¹ band structure calculations predict a flat band of p-character between the symmetry points X′₄ and K₃, most likely responsible for the majority of C 2p excitations observed. The C 2s states, on the other hand, form a single band centered around ?10.4 eV.The results obtained are consistent with several recent energy band structure calculations^{5–11, 13} that predict a combined bonding of covalent, ionic and metallic nature.     

Predicting intense-field photoionization of atoms and molecules from their linear photoabsorption spectra in the ionization continuum

We report a new approach to intense-field photoionization that is based on the ad hoc assumption that m photons of energy arriving within a typical electronic response time are effectively equivalent to a single photon of energy . The heuristic model contains no adjustable parameters and unifies apparent multiphoton and field aspects. Moreover, nonsequential, suppressed and above-threshold ionization phenomena become readily understandable. Predicted ionization intensities are in satisfactory agreement with available experimental data ranging from C₆H₆ to Ne^{3 +} , from femtosecond to nanosecond laser pulses, and from ultraviolet to infrared laser radiation.Received: 20 January 2004, Published online: 17 August 2004PACS: 32.80.Rm Multiphoton ionization and excitation to highly excited states (e.g., Rydberg states) - 32.80.Wr Other multiphoton processes - 42.50.Hz Strong-field excitation of optical transitions in quantum systems; multiphoton processes; dynamic Stark shift     

Photoionization of molecular oxygen in the X3Σg− and a1Δg states

Calculations are carried out, at similar levels of approximation, of the photoionization cross-sections for the ground X³Σ_g^? and metastable a¹Δ_g states of O₂ leading to the X²Π_g state of O₂⁺. Estimates, based upon measurements for the X³Σ_g^? state, are made of the photoionization cross-section of the a¹Δ_g state for transitions populating excited states of O₂⁺.     

Photoelectron spectroscopy of atomic oxygen using the Elettra synchrotron source

Atomic oxygen has been studied using angle resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) and constant-ionic-state (CIS) measurements using radiation from the Elettra synchrotron as the photon source. Relative partial photoionization cross-sections and angular distributions for the O⁺(⁴S) ← O(³P) and O⁺(²D) ← O(³P) ionizations have been measured as a function of photon energy from threshold (13.6 eV) to 19.0 eV. Comparison of the results obtained with recent experimental work performed at lower resolution reveals a number of differences and comparison with results of recent calculations shows the need for the inclusion of coupling intermediate between the j-j and L-S limits in future calculations of photoionization cross-sections and angular distributions. This work has demonstrated the feasibility of and results to be expected from angle resolved PES and CIS measurements on reactive intermediates at Elettra, a third-generation synchrotron source, and further studies on small molecular radicals are proposed.     

Measurement of Photoionization Cross Sections of the Excited States of Titanium

实验研究了钛原子在293～321 nm波段的共振增强多光子电离. 采用激光烧蚀和超声射流相结合的实验技术来制备自由原子,由飞行时间质谱仪实现对钛原子光电离产物的检测. 从离子信号强度对和激光强度的依赖关系导出了钛原子价电子激发态的光电离截面. 实验测量的一些激发态光电离截面在0.2～6.0 Mb. 通过对⁴⁶Ti、⁴⁷Ti、⁴⁸Ti的光电离截面测量研究,没有发现明显的同位素依赖性.     

Spectroscopic study of the production of magnesium ions from the atomic metastable states 3s3p 3 P 0, 2 by electron impact

Spectroscopic studies of the production of MgII ions from atomic metastable states by electron impact in crossed atomic and electron beams were made. Cross sections for excitation of the strongest spectral transitions and their energy dependences were determined. The maximum value of the cross section for ionization with excitation of the 3² S _1/2–3² P _3/2 transition reached 2.4×10^?16 cm². Possible mechanisms of production of excited ions from metastable states and their contribution to the total ionization process are discussed.