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Journal of Physics B Atomic and Molecular Physics

Remarks on photoelectron polarization in multiphoton ionization of alkali atoms

Péter Faragó, D W Walker, J.S. Wykes

Published Jan 11, 1974• 11 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The polarization state of the photoelectrons emitted by an assembly of ground state alkali atoms illuminated by circularly polarized light is described in terms of the Stokes vector formalism. The results indicate that there are several different experimental approaches available for testing theoretical predictions but they yield the same information about the underlying processes.

DOI
10.1088/0022-3700/7/1/015

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Multiphoton ionization of cesium via quadrupole transitions: Photoelectron angular distributions and polarization effects on total ionization rates

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We report measurements of photoelectron angular distributions via electric quadrupole transitions in cesium atoms using multiphoton excitation techniques. Experimental results are presented for the cases of one-photon resonant, two-photon ionization via the 6d ${\mathrm{}}^{2}$${D}_{3/2}$ and 6d ${\mathrm{}}^{2}$${D}_{5/2}$ electric quadrupole transitions and for one-photon resonant, three-photon ionization via the 5d ${\mathrm{}}^{2}$ ${\mathrm{D}}_{3/2}$ and 5d ${\mathrm{}}^{2}$${D}_{5/2}$ transitions. The ratios of the total ionization rates for linearly and circularly polarized light have also been measured for the 6d ${\mathrm{}}^{2}$${\mathrm{D}}_{3/2}$ and 6d ${\mathrm{}}^{2}$${D}_{5/2}$ states. A theoretical analysis and detailed comparison with the experimental results are given.

Physical Review A•Jan 1, 1988•8 citations
The polarization state of the photoelectrons emitted by an assembly of ground state alkali atoms illuminated by circularly polarized light is described in terms of the Stokes vector formalism. The results indicate that there are several different experimental approaches available for testing theoretical predictions but they yield the same information about the underlying processes.
General equations are proposed for the integrated cross section and degree of spin polarization of photoelectrons emitted by ground-state alkali metal atoms in two-photon ionization by two different optical beams. The equations, which are derived in the fine-structure approximation, are valid for polarized and unpolarized atoms, parallel experimental geometries, completely polarized (elliptically, circularly, and linearly polarized) and completely unpolarized optical beams, and also near resonance with an nP intermediate doublet level.
The theory of multiphoton ionization for an atomic system of arbitrary complexity is developed using a density matrix formalism. An expression is obtained which determines the differential N-photon ionization cross section as a function of the polarization states of the target atom and the incident radiation. The parameters which characterize the photo-electron angular distribution are related to the general reduced matrix elements for the N-photon transition. Two-photon ionization of unpolarized atoms is treated as an illustration of the use of the theory. The dependence of the multiphoton ionization cross section on the polarization state of the incident radiation, which has been observed in two- and three-photon ionization of Cs, is accounted for by the theory. Finally, the photoelectron spin polarization produced by the multiphoton ionization of unpolarized atoms, like the analogous polarization resulting from single-photon ionization, is found to depend on the circular polarization of the incident radiation.
It is argued that photo-electrons emitted from trivalent atoms in a two-photon ionization process are totally polarized if the incident light is of total circular polarization and its wavelength matches the resonance condition for the transition between ground state (n 2 P 1 2/) and the first excited state (n+1) 2 S 1 2/. The estimated photoionization yield compares favourably with that of the analogous process in alkali atoms. Some of the most important conditions for a successful experiment are considered.
We report measurements of photoelectron angular distributions via electric quadrupole transitions in cesium atoms using multiphoton excitation techniques. Experimental results are presented for the cases of one-photon resonant, two-photon ionization via the 6d 2{\mathrm{}}^{2}2D3/2{D}_{3/2}D3/2​ and 6d 2{\mathrm{}}^{2}2D5/2{D}_{5/2}D5/2​ electric quadrupole transitions and for one-photon resonant, three-photon ionization via the 5d 2{\mathrm{}}^{2}2 D3/2{\mathrm{D}}_{3/2}D3/2​ and 5d 2{\mathrm{}}^{2}2D5/2{D}_{5/2}D5/2​ transitions. The ratios of the total ionization rates for linearly and circularly polarized light have also been measured for the 6d 2{\mathrm{}}^{2}2D3/2{\mathrm{D}}_{3/2}D3/2​ and 6d 2{\mathrm{}}^{2}2D5/2{D}_{5/2}D5/2​ states. A theoretical analysis and detailed comparison with the experimental results are given.