New photon-induced triply excited hollow atom states of lithium

Photoexcitation of K-shell and L-shell hollow beryllium

We have observed K-shell and L-shell hollow beryllium atoms (2s(2)2p3s and 1s3s(2)3p) created by photoexcitation using synchrotron radiation. Resonance shapes were fitted to the Fano profile and the parameters were deduced. A Dirac-Fock calculation was performed to identify the configuration of the peaks and to predict other hollow atomic peaks. The results of the calculation were in good agreement with the experimental data. The comparison of the transition strength has revealed that the three-electron photoexcitation to the 1s3s(2)3p configuration is stronger than the two-electron photoexcitation to the 2s(2)2p3s configuration. This is attributed to the large overlap between the 2s orbital of the ground state (1s(2)2s(2)) with the orbital of the L-shell hollow state (1s3s(2)3p).

Photoexcitation of He- hollow-ion resonances: observation of the 2s2p2 4P state

Highly correlated states are studied in He-, a fundamental 3-electron system and prototypical negative ion. The 2s2p(2) 4P state is observed for the first time. This state is detected in a resonant simultaneous double-Auger decay of unprecedented strength. In addition, the first measurements of photodetachment cross sections, positions, widths, and shapes of triply excited resonances in He- are reported. These measurements provide a sensitive test for several sophisticated ab initio calculations, and indicate differences in the position and shape of some structures.

Diagram X-ray emission spectra of a hollow atom: the Kh alpha1,2 and Kh beta1,3 hypersatellites of Fe

High-resolution Fe K(h) beta(1,3) and K(h) alpha(1,2) hypersatellite spectra were measured, using monochromatized synchrotron radiation photoexcitation. The lines' energies, splitting, excitation thresholds, and the K(h) alpha(1)/K(h) alpha(2) intensity ratio were derived with high accuracy. Having both spectra, not hitherto available for any atom with high resolution, allows separating out the energy shifts of the outer levels caused by a K shell spectator vacancy. Comparison with ab initio relativistic multiconfigurational Dirac-Fock calculations reveals that while the influence of relativity and QED effects is mostly accounted for, discrepancies remain in the lines' intensity ratio, which sensitively measures the intermediacy of the coupling. Similar discrepancies, of unknown origin, are found in the energy shifts of the outer levels due to the final-state K shell spectator vacancy.

Correlated electrons in lithiumlike hollow atoms

We present a scheme for the explicit construction of highly correlated triply excited hollow states in Coulombic three-electron systems. Our analytical ansatz for the three-electron state is physically well justified and it produces configuration mixing coefficients in good agreement with data obtained from ab initio calculations.

Laser-induced transitions between triply excited hollow states

We present an ab initio calculation of the Li+ photoion yield in the presence of laser coupling between the triply excited 2s(2)2p(2)P(o) and 2s2p(2) (2)D(e) resonances in lithium, the first of which is assumed excited by synchrotron radiation from the ground state. The laser coupling between the triply excited states is shown to lead to a significant and readily measurable modification of the line profile which provides a unique probe of the dipole strength between highly correlated triply excited states.

Evolution from threshold of a hollow Atom's X-Ray emission spectrum: the Cu k(h)alpha(1,2) hypersatellites

The first pure high-resolution photoexcited K(h)alpha(1,2) hypersatellite spectrum from a hollow Cu atom is measured. Its K(h)alpha(2)- Kalpha(1) shift and the K(h)alpha(1,2) lines' splitting, widths, and intensity ratio are accurately determined. Such spectra are uniquely suited to study relativistic correlation effects, transition from LS to intermediate coupling, and the Breit-Wigner interaction. The threshold energy and the spectrum's evolution with excitation energy are also measured. The roles of relativity and Breit interaction are explored by comparison with ab initio Dirac-Fock calculations.

Autoionization of triply excited rydberg series

The Auger rates of triply excited Rydberg series are shown to behave rather differently from doubly excited series. It is shown that in hollow atoms the Auger decay rates for Rydberg series of the type 2l2l(')nl(") with n>/=2 are expected to be nearly independent of n, while for doubly excited series of the type 2lnl(') the decay rate in general decreases with increasing n. In addition the ratio between the rates for 2l2l(')nl(") Rydberg series with different l(") values will be fixed and often the ratio will be equal to one.

Angle-resolved photoelectron spectrometry studies of the autoionization of the 2s(2)2p 2P triply excited state of atomic lithium: experimental results and R-matrix calculations

We have measured the angle-resolved energy dependence of the electrons emitted over the energy range of the triply excited 2s(2)2p 2P lithium resonance using synchrotron radiation. We have also calculated the behavior of the angular distribution parameter beta using the R-matrix approximation. Experimental and theoretical results are in good agreement and show deep minima in the 1s2p (1, 3)P ionic channels. The energy at which the minima occur does not coincide with the resonance energy, but is shifted towards higher energy.