Observation of the symmetry-forbidden 5sigmau-->ksigmau CS2 transition: a vibrationally driven photoionization resonance

Vibrationally induced inversion of photoelectron forward-backward asymmetry in chiral molecule photoionization by circularly polarized light

Electron-nuclei coupling accompanying excitation and relaxation processes is a fascinating phenomenon in molecular dynamics. A striking and unexpected example of such coupling is presented here in the context of photoelectron circular dichroism measurements on randomly oriented, chiral methyloxirane molecules, unaffected by any continuum resonance. Here, we report that the forward-backward asymmetry in the electron angular distribution, with respect to the photon axis, which is associated with photoelectron circular dichroism can surprisingly reverse direction according to the ion vibrational mode excited. This vibrational dependence represents a clear breakdown of the usual Franck-Condon assumption, ascribed to the enhanced sensitivity of photoelectron circular dichroism (compared with other observables like cross-sections or the conventional anisotropy parameter-β) to the scattering phase off the chiral molecular potential, inducing a dependence on the nuclear geometry sampled in the photoionization process. Important consequences for the interpretation of such dichroism measurements within analytical contexts are discussed.

Vibrationally resolved photoionization dynamics of CF4 in the DA12 state

Vibrationally resolved photoelectron spectroscopy of the CF4+ (D 2A1) state is studied for the first time over an extended energy range, 26.5<or=hnu<or=50 eV. It is found that the energy dependence of the totally symmetric stretching vibration is qualitatively different from all of the other vibrational modes. Moreover, the vibrational branching ratio curves for all of the symmetry forbidden vibrations are nearly identical. Qualitative arguments are used to show that it is likely that at least two shape resonances are present in the continuum, and that their characteristics, such as energy dependence and spatial localization, are distinctly different.

Quasibound continuum states in SiF4 (D̃A12) photoionization: Photoelectron-vibrational coupling

The authors report a fully vibrationally resolved photoelectron spectroscopy investigation of a nonplanar molecule studied over a range of excitation energies. Experimental results for all four fundamental vibrational modes are presented. In each case significant non-Franck-Condon effects are seen. The vibrational branching ratio for the totally symmetric mode nu1+ is found to be strongly affected by resonant excitation in the SiF4+ (D2A1) photoionization channel. This is shown to be the result of two distinct shape resonances, which for the first time have been both confirmed by theoretical calculations. Vibrationally resolved Schwinger photoionization calculations are used to understand the vibronic coupling for the photoelectrons, both using ab initio and harmonic vibrational wave functions.

Launching a particle on a ring: b2u→ke2g ionization of C6F6

Evidence is presented demonstrating that an electron launched into the continuum is trapped in an unprecedented quasibound state, namely, one that extends through the backbone of the six-member carbon ring of C6F6. The mode specificity of the vibrational sensitivity to the electron trapping provides an experimental signature for this phenomenon, while adiabatic static model-exchange scattering calculations are used to map the wave function, which corroborate the interpretation.

Photoelectron trapping in N2O 7sigma-->ksigma resonant ionization

Vibrationally resolved photoelectron spectroscopy of the N2O+(A 2Sigma+) state is used to compare the dependence of the photoelectron dynamics on molecular geometry for two shape resonances in the same ionization channel. Spectra are acquired over the photon energy range of 18< or =hv< or =55 eV. There are three single-channel resonances in this range, two in the 7sigma-->ksigma channel and one in the 7sigma-->kpi channel. Vibrational branching ratio curves are determined by measuring vibrationally resolved photoelectron spectra as a function of photon energy, and theoretical branching ratio curves are generated via Schwinger variational scattering calculations. In the region 30< or =hv< or =40 eV, there are two shape resonances (ksigma and kpi). The ksigma ionization resonance is clearly visible in vibrationally resolved measurements at hv=35 eV, even though the total cross section in this channel is dwarfed by the cross section in the degenerate, more slowly varying 7sigma-->kpi channel. This ksigma resonance is manifested in non-Franck-Condon behavior in the approximately antisymmetric v3 stretching mode, but it is not visible in the branching ratio curve for the approximately symmetric v1 stretch. The behavior of the 35-eV ksigma resonance is compared to a previously studied N2O 7sigma-->ksigma shape resonance at lower energy. The mode sensitivity of the 35-eV ksigma resonance is the opposite of what was observed for the lower-energy resonance. The contrasting mode-specific behavior observed for the high- and low-energy 7sigma-->ksigma resonances can be explained on the basis of the "approximate" symmetry of the quasibound photoelectron resonant wave function, and the contrasting behavior reflects differences in the continuum electron trapping. An examination of the geometry dependence of the photoelectron dipole matrix elements shows that the ksigma resonances have qualitatively different dependences on the individual bond lengths. The low-energy resonance is influenced only by changes in the end-to-end length of the molecule, whereas the higher-energy resonance depends on the individual N-N and N-O bond lengths. Branching ratios are determined for several vibrational levels, including the symmetry-forbidden bending mode, and all of the observed behavior is explained in the context of an independent particle, Born-Oppenheimer framework.

Electronically forbidden (5σu→kσu) photoionization of CS2: Mode-specific electronic-vibrational coupling

Vibrationally resolved photoelectron spectroscopy of the CS(2) (+)(B (2)Sigma(u) (+)) state is used to show how nontotally symmetric vibrations "activate" a forbidden electronic transition in the photoionization continuum, specifically, a 5sigma(u)-->ksigma(u) shape resonance, that would be inaccessible in the absence of a symmetry breaking vibration. This electronic channel is forbidden owing to inversion symmetry selection rules, but it can be accessed when a nonsymmetric vibration is excited, such as bending or antisymmetric stretching. Photoelectron spectra are acquired for photon energies 17</=hnu</=72 eV, and it is observed that the forbidden vibrational transitions are selectively enhanced in the region of a symmetry-forbidden continuum shape resonance centered at hnu approximately 42 eV. Schwinger variational calculations are performed to analyze the data, and the theoretical analysis demonstrates that the observed forbidden transitions are due to photoelectron-mediated vibronic coupling, rather than interchannel Herzberg-Teller mixing. We observe and explain the counterintuitive result that some vibrational branching ratios vary strongly with energy in the region of the resonance, even though the resonance position and width are not appreciably influenced by geometry changes that correspond to the affected vibrations. In addition, we find that another resonant channel, 5sigma(u)-->kpi(g), influences the symmetric stretch branching ratio. All of the observed effects can be understood within the framework of the Chase adiabatic approximation, i.e., the Born-Oppenheimer approximation applied to photoionization.