Comparison of the random-phase approximation with the multichannel frozen-core Hartree-Fock approximation for the photoionization of N2

Single- and Three-Photon Ionization of N 2 $$ {N}_2 $$ in Presence of Fano Resonances

We report single- and three-photon ionization cross-sections of theN 2 $$ {N}_2 $$ molecule in the region of the Hopfield series of doubly excited states. Results are obtained by solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation in a hybrid basis combining neutral and ionic CI states with a fully numerical basis. Contributions to the spectrum during and after the interaction are obtained using the tSurff and iSurf methods. Calculations at arbitrary molecular orientation and details of the spectral calculation are presented. For single-photon ionization synchrotron data is reproduced. For three-photon ionization we find a pronounced change of resonance line shape when going from single- to three-photon transitions.

Fano–Feshbach formalism applied to the calculation of autoionization widths through analytic continuation

A method to calculate the autoionization width from a discretized pseudo-spectrum is proposed. This method relies on an analytic continuation of Green’s function within the Fano–Feshbach formalism. The pseudo-spectrum is obtained at the multireference configuration interaction level in a square-integrable basis set, commonly found in quantum chemistry software. Few states around the desired resonance are needed to perform the analytic continuation. This method was applied to atomic (He and Ne) and molecular (HF and benzene) systems, and the results for the autoionization width show good agreement with the available theoretical and experimental values.

Restricted Correlation Space B-Spline ADC Approach to Molecular Ionization: Theory and Applications to Total Photoionization Cross-Sections

Herein is presented a new approach to the ab initio algebraic diagrammatic construction (ADC) schemes for the polarization propagator, which is explicitly designed to accurately and efficiently describe molecular ionization. The restricted correlation space (RCS) version of the ADC methods up to second order of perturbation theory is derived via the intermediate state representation (ISR) and implemented in the multicenter B-spline basis set for the electronic continuum. Remarkably a general close-coupling structure of the RCS-ADC many-electron wave function, connecting the N-particle to the ( N - 1)-particle ADC intermediate states, emerges naturally as a nontrivial result of the RCS ansatz. Moreover, the introduced RCS-ADC schemes prove to be particularly manageable from a computational point of view, overcoming the practical limitations of the conventional ADC approaches. The quality of the new RCS-ADC( n) approaches is verified by performing a series of total photoionization cross-section calculations on a test set of molecules. The excellent agreement of the results with existing accurate benchmarks demonstrates that the RCS versions of the ADC schemes are optimal and quantitatively accurate methods for studying multichannel molecular photoionization.

Electron Correlation in the Ionization Continuum of Molecules: Photoionization of N2 in the Vicinity of the Hopfield Series of Autoionizing States

Direct measurement of autoionization lifetimes by using time-resolved experimental techniques is a promising approach when energy-resolved spectroscopic methods do not work. Attosecond time-resolved experiments have recently provided the first quantitative determination of autoionization lifetimes of the lowest members of the well-known Hopfield series of resonances in N₂. In this work, we have used the recently developed XCHEM approach to study photoionization of the N₂ molecule in the vicinity of these resonances. The XCHEM approach allows us to describe electron correlation in the molecular electronic continuum at a level similar to that provided by multireference configuration interaction methods in bound state calculations, a necessary condition to accurately describe autoionization, shakeup, and interchannel couplings occurring in this range of photon energies. Our results show that electron correlation leading to interchannel mixing is the main factor that determines the magnitude and shape of the N₂ photoionization cross sections, as well as the lifetimes of the Hopfield resonances. At variance with recent speculations, nonadiabatic effects do not seem to play a significant role. These conclusions are supported by the very good agreement between the calculated cross sections and those determined in synchrotron radiation and attosecond experiments.

Interchannel coupling effects in the valence photoionization of SF6

The complex Kohn and polyatomic Schwinger variational techniques have been employed to illustrate the interchannel coupling correlation effects in the valence photoionization dynamics of SF6. Partial photoionization cross sections and asymmetry parameters of six valence subshells (1t1g, 5t1u, 1t2u, 3eg, 1t2g, 4t1u) are discussed in the framework of several theoretical and experimental studies. The complex Kohn results are in rather good agreement with experimental results, indicative of the fact that the interchannel coupling effects alter the photoionization dynamics significantly. We find that the dominant effect of interchannel coupling is to reduce the magnitude of shape resonant cross sections near the threshold and to induce resonant features in other channels to which resonances are coupled. The long-standing issue concerning ordering of the valence orbitals is addressed and confirmed 4t1u (6)1t2g (6)3eg (4)(5t1u (6)+1t2u (6)) 1t1g (6) as the most likely ordering.