Direct probe of the bent and linear geometries of the core-excited Renner-Teller pair states by means of the triple-ion-coincidence momentum imaging technique

Fragmentation dynamics of doubly charged camphor molecule following C 1s Auger decay

The fragmentation dynamics of the gas-phase, doubly charged camphor molecule, formed by Auger decay following carbon 1s ionisation, using soft X-ray synchrotron radiation, is presented in this work. The technique of velocity map imaging combined with a photoelectron-photoion-photoion coincidence (VMI-PEPIPICO) is used for both electron energy and ion momentum (in-sequence) measurements. The experimental study is complemented by molecular dynamics simulation, performed with an NVT (moles, volume, and temperature) ensemble. Velocity Verlet algorithms were used for time integration at various internal energies. These simulations validate observed dissociation pathways. From these, we successfully deduce that the internal energy of the doubly charged molecular ion has a significant contribution to the fragmentation mechanism. Notably, a prominent signature of the internal energy was observed in the experimentally determined energies of the neutral fragment in these deferred charge separation pathways, entailing a more detailed theoretical study to uncover the exact dissociation dynamics.

Isomer-dependent fragmentation dynamics of inner-shell photoionized difluoroiodobenzene

The fragmentation dynamics of 2,6- and 3,5-difluoroiodobenzene after iodine 4d inner-shell photoionization with soft X-rays are studied using coincident electron and ion momentum imaging.

Identification of absolute geometries of cis and trans molecular isomers by Coulomb Explosion Imaging

An experimental route to identify and separate geometric isomers by means of coincident Coulomb explosion imaging is presented, allowing isomer-resolved photoionization studies on isomerically mixed samples. We demonstrate the technique on cis/trans 1,2-dibromoethene (C₂H₂Br₂). The momentum correlation between the bromine ions in a three-body fragmentation process induced by bromine 3d inner-shell photoionization is used to identify the cis and trans structures of the isomers. The experimentally determined momentum correlations and the isomer-resolved fragment-ion kinetic energies are matched closely by a classical Coulomb explosion model.

Yields and Time-of-Flight Spectra of Neutral High-Rydberg Fragments at the K Edges of the CO2 Molecule

We have studied the production of neutral fragments in high-Rydberg (HR) states at the C 1s and O 1s edges of the CO2 molecule by performing two kinds of experiments. First, the yields of neutral HR fragments were measured indirectly by ionizing such fragments in a static electric field and by collecting resulting singly charged positive ions as a function of the photon energy. Such measurements reveal not only excitations below the core ionization thresholds but also thresholds for single core-hole and shakeup photoionization. Second, we obtained the mass spectra of neutral HR fragments at selected photon energies by exploiting pulsed field ionization; they show atomic fragments C(HR) and O(HR). We discuss dissociation pathways leading to the production of neutral HR fragments in core excitation and ionization of CO2.

Three body dissociation of CS2(2+) subsequent to various S(2p) Auger transitions

Fragmentation kinematics of CS2 following various S(2p) Auger transitions is studied. Employing a combination of electron energy analysis and recoil ion momentum spectroscopy, changes in the dissociation channel yields, as well as the differences in the kinematical parameters for various bands of Auger hole states are presented. The fragmentation mechanism for dissociative channels leading to complete atomization of CS2(2+) molecular ion is studied in detail. We find that CS2(2+) does not retain linear geometry and is bent before undergoing concerted break-up. It is also observed that different geometric configurations of the CS2(2+) precursor result in different kinetic energy release values.

Ultrafast charge rearrangement and nuclear dynamics upon inner-shell multiple ionization of small polyatomic molecules

Ionization and fragmentation of methylselenol (CH(3)SeH) molecules by intense (>10(17) W/cm(2)) 5 fs x-ray pulses (ħω=2 keV) are studied by coincident ion momentum spectroscopy. We contrast the measured charge state distribution with data on atomic Kr, determine kinetic energies of resulting ionic fragments, and compare them to the outcome of a Coulomb explosion model. We find signatures of ultrafast charge redistribution from the inner-shell ionized Se atom to its molecular partners, and observe significant displacement of the atomic constituents in the course of multiple ionization.

Experimental evidence of interatomic coulombic decay from the auger final states in argon dimers

Interatomic Coulombic decay (ICD) from an Auger-final dicationic state is observed in the Ar dimer. A 2p inner-shell vacancy created by photoionization is replaced with 3s and 3p vacancies via intra-atomic Auger decay. The Auger-final dicationic state is subject to ICD in which one of the 3p electrons in the same Ar atom fills the 3s vacancy while one of the 3p electrons from the neighboring Ar atom is emitted as an ICD electron. This ICD process is unambiguously identified by electron-ion-ion coincidence spectroscopy in which the kinetic energy of the ICD electron and the kinetic energy release between Ar+ and Ar2+ are measured in coincidence.

Probe of bending motion following the 1s−1π* excitation of N2O

The doubly degenerate core-excited Pi state of N2O splits into two due to the static Renner-Teller effect. The lower state, A1, has a bent stable geometry and the molecule excited to this state starts to deform itself toward this bent geometry. To probe the effect of the potential energy surfaces of the core-excited A1 states on the nuclear motion, we measure the momenta of the three atomic ions in coincidence by means of the ion momentum imaging technique. We find that the potential energy surface affects the molecular deformation significantly. N2O in the terminal N 1s(-1)3piA1 excited state is observed to be bent more than that in the central N 1s(-1)3piA1 excited state. This means that N2O in the terminal N 1s(-1)3piA1 excited state bends faster than that in the central N 1s(-1)3piA1 excited state. When the excitation energy is decreased within the 1s(-1)3pi resonances, the nuclear motion in the A1 states becomes faster. This is interpreted by the notion that the excitation occurs onto the steeper slope part of the potential energy surface of the excited state for the lower excitation energy. The branching ratio of the A1 excitation increases with the decrease in the excitation energy.

Anisotropic ultrafast dissociation probed by the Doppler effect in resonant photoemission from CF4

The resonant Auger spectrum from the decay of F 1s-excited CF4 is measured. Several lines exhibit a nondispersive kinetic energy as the exciting photon energy is tuned through the resonance region. The F 1s(-1) atomiclike Auger line is split into two components due to the emission of Auger electrons by a fragment in motion, when electron emission is observed along the polarization vector of the light. This Doppler splitting is direct evidence that the core excitation leads to T(d)-->C(3v) symmetry lowering, by elongation of a specific C-F bond preferentially aligned along the polarization vector of the incident photon.