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Published May 1, 1993 | public
Journal Article

Ion rotational distributions at near-threshold photoelectron energies

Abstract

Rotationally resolved photoelectron spectra and their associated photoelectron angular distributions can clearly provide much insight into the dynamics of molecular photoionization, one of the simplest of molecular fragmentation processes. These spectra are an obvious signature of the exchanges of energy and angular momentum between the photoelectron and molecular ion. Unfortunately, with the exception of hydrogen [1,2] and ionization from higher rotational levels of lighter systems such as NO [3,4], OH [5], and NH [6], rotational resolution in photoelectron spectra has generally been beyond the reach of the techniques of conventional photoelectron spectroscopy. With the recent development of zero-kinetic-energy (ZEKE) photoelectron spectroscopy based on pulsed-field ionization (PFJ) of very high Rydberg levels, however, it is now possible to exploit the narrow bandwidth of laser radiation to achieve rotational resolution in molecular ion spectra [7]. The unprecedented resolution of this technique has led to a surge of experimental activity in molecular photoelectron spectroscopy. The underlying dynamics of such threshold photoelectron spectra. can be expected to be rich in content and to present new theoretical challenges. Furthermore, laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) studies provide higher resolution than energy-resolved photoelectron measurements and may allow, for example, monitoring the populations of A components of ion rotational levels [8].

Additional Information

© 1993 AMS Press. This research was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the Office of Health and Environmental Research of the U. S. Department of Energy. We also acknowledge use of the resources of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory /California Institute of Technology CRAY Y-MP2E/116 Supercomputer.

Additional details

Created:
August 20, 2023
Modified:
January 13, 2024