Journal of Physical Chemistry & Biophysics
Open Access
ISSN: 2161-0398
+44 1478 350008
ISSN: 2161-0398
+44 1478 350008
Agapi Emmanouilidou
Accepted Abstracts: J Phys Chem Biophys
With the recent advent of short wavelength free electron lasers, with photon energies extending from the XUV to hard X-rays, an entirely new type of processes has become possible; namely the direct, in principle N-photon N-electron escape processes, where multiple electron escape relies on each escaping electron interacting with photons. Our purpose in this recent work was to expand the landscape of direct multiple ionization processes, by exploring the possibility of three photon triple ionization of the most fundamental three electron system atomic Li. This problem is timely because new FEL sources have been coming up within the appropriate energy range which is between 70 and 100 eV. Part of our motivation in this initial work was to examine the range of source parameters, such as peak intensity, and pulse duration that would render this triple escape observable, thus providing a road map for future experiments. The necessary theoretical ingredients are the relevant few photon ionization cross sections. As expected from previous experience, the sequential processes are found to dominate for long pulses. But for shorter pulses, which in this case it turns out to be 1 to a few femtosecond, we have found windows of parameters for which the triple escape may be observable. It turns out, however, that as a by-product of the interaction, direct double ionization processes in Li+ play a significant role, which provides yet another opportunity to study two and three photon double ionization beyond the He atom.
Agapi Emmanouilidou has completed her Ph.D. studies at the Physics Department at the University of Texas at Austin and postdoctoral studies at the Max Planck Institute for Complex Systems in Dresden. She is a Lecturer and EPSRC Career Acceleration Fellow at University College London in the UK.