Slow photoelectron imaging

Control of Electron Wave Packets Close to the Continuum Threshold Using Near-Single-Cycle THz Waveforms

The control of low-energy electrons by carrier-envelope-phase-stable near-single-cycle THz pulses is demonstrated. A femtosecond laser pulse is used to create a temporally localized wave packet through multiphoton absorption at a well defined phase of a synchronized THz field. By recording the photoelectron momentum distributions as a function of the time delay, we observe signatures of various regimes of dynamics, ranging from recollision-free acceleration to coherent electron-ion scattering induced by the THz field. The measurements are confirmed by three-dimensional time-dependent Schrödinger equation simulations. A classical trajectory model allows us to identify scattering phenomena analogous to strong-field photoelectron holography and high-order above-threshold ionization.

Photoionization microscopy of the Rydberg Rb atom under a continuous infrared radiation laser field

The photoionization microscopy of the Rydberg Rb atom exposed to a continuous infrared radiation laser field is investigated based on the semiclassical open orbit theory. In contrast to the photoionization of the Rydberg hydrogen atom, the ionic core-scattering effect plays an important role in the photoionization of the Rb atom. Due to the core-scattering effect and the laser field, the electron trajectories become chaotic. A huge number of ionization trajectories from the ionic source to the detector plane appear, which makes the oscillatory pattern in the electron probability distribution become much more complicated. The ρ–θ curve on the detector plane exhibits a self-similar fractal structure for the ionization trajectories of the Rydberg Rb atom in the laser field. Due to constructive and destructive quantum interference of different electron trajectories, a series of concentric rings appear in the photoionization microscopy interference patterns on the detector plane. The electron probability density distributions on the detector are found to be changed sensitively with the scaled electron energy and the laser wavelength. Even as the detector plane is located at a macroscopic distance from the photoionization source, the photoionization microscopy interference patterns can be observed clearly. These calculations may provide a valuable contribution to the actual experimental study of the photoionization microscopy of non-hydrogenic Rydberg atom in the laser field.

Vibronic structure and predissociation dynamics of 2-methoxythiophenol (S1): The effect of intramolecular hydrogen bonding on nonadiabatic dynamics

Vibronic spectroscopy and the S-H bond predissociation dynamics of 2-methoxythiophenol (2-MTP) in the S₁ (ππ^*) state have been investigated for the first time. Resonant two-photon ionization and slow-electron velocity map imaging (SEVI) spectroscopies have revealed that the S₁-S₀ transition of 2-MTP is accompanied with the planar to the pseudoplanar structural change along the out-of-plane ring distortion and the tilt of the methoxy moiety. The S₁ vibronic bands up to their internal energy of ∼1000 cm^-1 are assigned from the SEVI spectra taken via various S₁ vibronic intermediate states with the aid of ab initio calculations. Intriguingly, Fermi resonances have been identified for some vibronic bands. The S-H bond breakage of 2-MTP occurs via tunneling through an adiabatic barrier under the S₁/S₂ conical intersection seam, and it is followed by the bifurcation into either the adiabatic or nonadiabatic channel at the S₀/S₂ conical intersection where the diabatic S₂ state (πσ^*) is unbound with respect to the S-H bond elongation coordinate, giving the excited (Ã) or ground (X̃) state of the 2-methoxythiophenoxy radical, respectively. Surprisingly, the nonadiabatic transition probability at the S₀/S₂ conical intersection, estimated from the velocity map ion images of the nascent D fragment from 2-MTP-d₁ (2-CH₃O-C₆H₄SD) at the S₁ zero-point energy level, is found to be exceptionally high to give the X̃/Ã product branching ratio of 2.03 ± 0.20, which is much higher than the value of ∼0.8 estimated for the bare thiophenol at the S₁ origin. It even increases to 2.33 ± 0.17 at the ν₄₅ ² mode (101 cm^-1) before it rapidly decays to 0.69 ± 0.05 at the S₁ internal energy of about 2200 cm^-1. This suggests that the strong intramolecular hydrogen bonding of S⋯D⋯OCH₃ in 2-MTP at least in the low S₁ internal energy region should play a significant role in localizing the reactive flux onto the conical intersection seam. The minimum energy pathway calculations (second-order coupled-cluster resolution of the identity or time-dependent-density functional theory) of the adiabatic S₁ state suggest that the intimate dynamic interplay between the S-H bond cleavage and intramolecular hydrogen bonding could be crucial in the nonadiabatic surface hopping dynamics taking place at the conical intersection.

Experimental observation of nonadiabatic bifurcation dynamics at resonances in the continuum

The surface crossing of bound and unbound electronic states in multidimensional space often gives rise to resonances in the continuum. This situation happens in the πσ*-mediated photodissociation reaction of 2-fluorothioanisole; optically-bright bound S1 (ππ*) vibrational states of 2-fluorothioanisole are strongly coupled to the optically-dark S2 (πσ*) state, which is repulsive along the S-CH3 elongation coordinate. It is revealed here that the reactive flux prepared at such resonances in the continuum bifurcates into two distinct reaction pathways with totally different dynamics in terms of energy disposal and nonadiabatic transition probability. This indicates that the reactive flux in the Franck-Condon region may either undergo nonadiabatic transition funneling through the conical intersection from the upper adiabat, or follow a low-lying adiabatic path, along which multiple dynamic saddle points may be located. Since 2-fluorothioanisole adopts a nonplanar geometry in the S1 minimum energy, the quasi-degenerate S1/S2 crossing seam in the nonplanar geometry, which lies well below the planar S1/S2 conical intersection, is likely responsible for the efficient vibronic coupling, especially in the low S1 internal energy region. As the excitation energy increases, bound-to-continuum coupling is facilitated with the aid of intramolecular vibrational redistribution, along many degrees of freedom spanning the large structural volume. This leads to the rapid domination of the continuum character of the reactive flux. This work reports direct and robust experimental observations of the nonadiabatic bifurcation dynamics of the reactive flux occurring at resonances in the continuum of polyatomic molecules.

Low-Energy Photoelectron Imaging Spectroscopy of Lan(benzene) (n = 1 and 2)

La_n(benzene) (n = 1 and 2) are formed in a pulsed laser-ablation molecular beam source and characterized by low-energy photoelectron imaging spectroscopy. The photoelectron spectrum of La₂(benzene) displays a strong origin band, a short metal-ligand stretching progression, and a weak ring deformation band. Four isomers are considered for La₂(benzene), and the preferred structure is an inverse sandwich with two La atoms residing on the opposite sides of the benzene ring. The ground electronic state of the inverse sandwich is ¹A_1g (D_3d) with (5d_xy,x²-y² + π*)⁴6s² electron configuration. Ionization removes a La-based 6s electron and yields a ²A_1g ion. The spectrum of La(benzene) is similar to the zero-electron kinetic energy spectrum reported previously by our group, although the spectral line width is somewhat broader. The measurement of the photoelectron angular distribution of La(benzene) confirms that the ejected electron has largely a p wave character. The metal-ligand bonding of La₂(benzene) is considerably stronger than that of La(benzene) due to the threefold binding of each La atom in the dilanthanum species and the twofold binding in the monolanthanum complex.

Conformer specific nonadiabatic reaction dynamics in the photodissociation of partially deuterated thioanisoles (C6H5S-CH2D and C6H5S-CHD2)

In this work, we have investigated nonadiabatic dynamics in the vicinity of conical intersections for predissociation reactions of partially deuterated thioanisole molecules: C₆H₅S-CH₂D and C₆H₅S-CHD₂. Each isotopomer has two distinct rotational conformers according to the geometrical position of D or H of the methyl moiety with respect to the molecular plane for C₆H₅S-CH₂D or C₆H₅S-CHD₂, respectively, as spectroscopically characterized in our earlier report [J. Lee, S.-Y. Kim and S. K. Kim, J. Phys. Chem. A, 2014, 118, 1850]. Since identification and separation of two different rotational conformers of each isotopomer have been unambiguously done, we could interrogate nonadiabatic dynamics of thioanisole in terms of both H/D substitutional and conformational structural effects. Nonadiabatic transition probability, estimated by the experimentally measured branching ratio of the nonadiabatically produced ground-state channel giving C₆H₅S·(X[combining tilde]) versus the adiabatic excited-state channel leading to the C₆H₅S·(Ã) radical, shows resonance-like increases at symmetric (ν_s) or asymmetric (7a) S-CH₂D (or S-CHD₂) stretching mode excitation in S₁ for all conformational isomers of two isotopomers. However, absolute probabilistic value of the nonadiabatic transition is found to vary quite drastically depending on different conformers and isotopomers. The experimental finding that nonadiabatic transition dynamics are very sensitive to subtle changes in the nuclear configuration within the Franck-Condon region induced by the H/D substitution indicates that the S₁/S₂ conical intersection seam is quite narrowly defined in the multi-dimensional nuclear configurational space as far as the S-methyl predissociation reaction is concerned. In order to understand the relation between molecular structure and nonadiabaticity of reaction, potential energy surfaces near S₁/S₂ conical intersections have been theoretically calculated along ν_s and 7a normal mode coordinates for all conformational isomers. Slow-electron velocity map imaging (SEVI) spectroscopy is employed to unravel the extent of intramolecular vibrational redistribution (IVR) for particular mode excitations of S₁, providing insights into the dynamic interplay between IVR and nonadiabatic transition probability near the conical intersection seam.

Influence of long-range Coulomb interaction in velocity map imaging

The standard velocity-map imaging (VMI) analysis relies on the simple approximation that the residual Coulomb field experienced by the photoelectron ejected from a neutral or ion system may be neglected. Under this almost universal approximation, the photoelectrons follow ballistic (parabolic) trajectories in the externally applied electric field, and the recorded image may be considered as a 2D projection of the initial photoelectron velocity distribution. There are, however, several circumstances where this approximation is not justified and the influence of long-range forces must absolutely be taken into account for the interpretation and analysis of the recorded images. The aim of this paper is to illustrate this influence by discussing two different situations involving isolated atoms or molecules where the analysis of experimental images cannot be performed without considering long-range Coulomb interactions. The first situation occurs when slow (meV) photoelectrons are photoionized from a neutral system and strongly interact with the attractive Coulomb potential of the residual ion. The result of this interaction is the formation of a more complex structure in the image, as well as the appearance of an intense glory at the center of the image. The second situation, observed also at low energy, occurs in the photodetachment from a multiply charged anion and it is characterized by the presence of a long-range repulsive potential. Then, while the standard VMI approximation is still valid, the very specific features exhibited by the recorded images can be explained only by taking into consideration tunnel detachment through the repulsive Coulomb barrier.

Analytical model of an isolated single-atom electron source

An analytical model of a single-atom electron source is presented, where electrons are created by near-threshold photoionization of an isolated atom. The model considers the classical dynamics of the electron just after the photon absorption, i.e. its motion in the potential of a singly charged ion and a uniform electric field used for acceleration. From closed expressions for the asymptotic transverse electron velocities and trajectories, the effective source temperature and the virtual source size can be calculated. The influence of the acceleration field strength and the ionization laser energy on these properties has been studied. With this model, a single-atom electron source with the optimum electron beam properties can be designed. Furthermore, we show that the model is also applicable to ionization of rubidium atoms, and thus also describes the ultracold electron source, which is based on photoionization of laser-cooled alkali atoms.

Wave function microscopy of quasibound atomic states

In the 1980s Demkov, Kondratovich, and Ostrovsky and Kondratovich and Ostrovsky proposed an experiment based on the projection of slow electrons emitted by a photoionized atom onto a position-sensitive detector. In the case of resonant excitation, they predicted that the spatial electron distribution on the detector should represent nothing else but a magnified image of the projection of a quasibound electronic state. By exciting lithium atoms in the presence of a static electric field, we present in this Letter the first experimental photoionization wave function microscopy images where signatures of quasibound states are evident. Characteristic resonant features, such as (i) the abrupt change of the number of wave function nodes across a resonance and (ii) the broadening of the outer ring of the image (associated with tunneling ionization), are observed and interpreted via wave packet propagation simulations and recently proposed resonance tunneling mechanisms. The electron spatial distribution measured by our microscope is a direct macroscopic image of the projection of the microscopic squared modulus of the electron wave that is quasibound to the atom and constitutes the first experimental realization of the experiment proposed 30 years ago.

Transfer-matrix-based method for an analytical description of velocity-map-imaging spectrometers

We propose a simple and general analytical model describing the operation of a velocity-map-imaging spectrometer. We show that such a spectrometer, possibly equipped with a magnifying lens, can be efficiently modeled by combining analytical expressions for the axial potential distributions along with a transfer matrix method. The model leads transparently to the prediction of the instrument's operating conditions as well as to its resolution. A photoelectron velocity-map-imaging spectrometer with a magnifying lens, built and operated along the lines suggested by the model has been successfully employed for recording images at threshold photoionization of atomic lithium. The model's reliability is demonstrated by the fairly good agreement between experimental results and calculations. Finally, the limitations of the analytical method along with possible generalizations, extensions, and potential applications are also discussed. The model may serve as a guide for users interested in building and operating such spectrometers as well as a tutorial tool.

Imaging the dynamics of gas phase reactions

Ion imaging methods are making ever greater impact on studies of gas phase molecular reaction dynamics. This article traces the evolution of the technique, highlights some of the more important breakthroughs with regards to improving image resolution and in image processing and analysis methods, and then proceeds to illustrate some of the many applications to which the technique is now being applied--most notably in studies of molecular photodissociation and of bimolecular reaction dynamics.

Observation of large quadrupolar effects in a slow photoelectron imaging experiment

We have studied nondipolar effects in resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization of Xe and have observed an azimuthal dependence of the photoelectron angular distribution on a quadrupole resonance, as well as a very large asymmetry with respect to the direction of the laser propagation close to the resonance, which is understood in terms of interference between dipole- and quadrupole-allowed ionization channels. The observed asymmetry in the photoelectron angular distribution provides insight into the ejection of slow photoelectrons near an ionization threshold.

Photoelectron angular distributions

Angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy has been performed for more than 70 years in various guises, but recently its potential to help solve in detail problems in the photoionization dynamics and intramolecular dynamics of gas-phase molecules has been recognized. One key development has been the design of experiments in appropriate geometries to extract information that pertains to the molecular frame, another has been the development of imaging spectrometers, and a third is the use of ultrafast lasers to cause photoionization. In this review, which is aimed at experimentalists, simple expressions for photoelectron angular distributions (PADs) in various experimental geometries are given and their applications explained.

Rydberg state ionization by half-cycle-pulse excitation: strong kicks create slow electrons

The asymptotic velocity distribution of electrons ionized in half-cycle-pulse excitation of high Rydberg states (n=34), placed in a static electric field, is studied using electron velocity-map imaging. At weak half-cycle pulse strengths, the electrons escape over the saddle point in the potential. For strong half-cycle pulses, the electrons are emitted in the direction of the field kick. The much slower and less intense half cycle of opposite polarity, which necessarily follows the main half-cycle pulse, strongly affects the momentum distribution and reduces the excess energy of the electrons significantly.

Molecular photodetachment microscopy

The photodetachment microscopy technique, which was originally used with atomic negative ions, is now applied to a molecular anion. The interferograms of several rotational thresholds corresponding to transitions from OH- X (1)Sigma(+) v=0 states to OH X (2)Pi(3/2,1/2) v=0 states have been recorded. No effect due to the 1/r(2) dipolar potential of the neutral molecule appears. Using a double-pass scheme of the laser on the negative ion beam, we measure the energy of the first few detachment thresholds with improved accuracy. The new recommended value of the electron affinity of 16OH is 14,740.996(13) cm(-1), or 1.827 650 3(17) eV.

Photoionization microscopy

We present the first experimental results of a technique called photoionization microscopy. Photoelectrons ejected in threshold photoionization of Xe are detected in a velocity map imaging apparatus, and interferences between various trajectories by which the electron moves from the atom to the detector are observed. The structure of the interference pattern, which contains the transverse component of the electronic wave function, evolves smoothly with the excess energy above the saddle point. The main observed features are interpreted within the framework of the semiclassical approximation.