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arXiv · 1204.4812

Photoelectron Angular Distributions for Two-photon Ionization of Helium by Ultrashort Extreme Ultraviolet Free Electron Laser Pulses

Abstract

Phase-shift differences and amplitude ratios of the outgoing $s$ and $d$ continuum wave packets generated by two-photon ionization of helium atoms are determined from the photoelectron angular distributions obtained using velocity map imaging. Helium atoms are ionized with ultrashort extreme-ultraviolet free-electron laser pulses with a photon energy of 20.3, 21.3, 23.0, and 24.3 eV, produced by the SPring-8 Compact SASE Source test accelerator. The measured values of the phase-shift differences are distinct from scattering phase-shift differences when the photon energy is tuned to an excited level or Rydberg manifold. The difference stems from the competition between resonant and non-resonant paths in two-photon ionization by ultrashort pulses. Since the competition can be controlled in principle by the pulse shape, the present results illustrate a new way to tailor the continuum wave packet.

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R. Ma, K. Motomura, K. L. Ishikawa, S. Mondal, H. Fukuzawa, A. Yamada, K. Ueda, K. Nagaya, S. Yase, Y. Mizoguchi, M. Yao, A. Rouzée, A. Hundermark, M. J. J. Vrakking, P. Johnsson, M. Nagasono, K. Tono, T. Togashi, Y. Senba, H. Ohashi, M. Yabashi, T. Ishikawa. 2012-04-21. Photoelectron Angular Distributions for Two-photon Ionization of Helium by Ultrashort Extreme Ultraviolet Free Electron Laser Pulses. https://doi.org/10.1088/0953-4075/46/16/164018

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