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Journal of Physics Conference Series

A Young double-slit experiment using a single electron source: Oscillations in the angular distribution of Auger-line width

F. Frémont, R O Barrachina, S Suarez, J.-Y. Chesnel

Published Nov 1, 2009• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We present evidence for two-center interference effects in the autoionization of a Helium atom following a double capture process in a He2+ + H2 collision, by looking, not at the total intensity as in a previous article [1], but at the full width at half maximum of the energy distribution at a function of the observation angle.
DOI
10.1088/1742-6596/194/10/102010

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Evidence is given for Young-type interferences caused by a single electron acting on a given double-center scatterer analogous to an atomic-size double-slit system. The electron is provided by autoionization of a doubly excited He atom following the capture of the electrons of H2 by a He2+ incoming ion. The autoionizing projectile is a single-electron source, independent of the interferometer provided by the two H+ centers of the fully ionized H2 molecule. This experiment resembles the famous thought experiment imagined by Feynman in 1963, in which the quantum nature of the electron is illustrated from a Young-like double-slit experiment. Well-defined oscillations are visible in the angular distribution of the scattered electrons, showing that each electron interferes with itself.
Interferences caused by a single electron impacting on an independent double-center scatterer, which plays the role of an atomic-size double-slit system, are experimentally evidenced for the first time. The electron originates from the autoionization of doubly excited 2 l n l ' (n ⩾ 2) configurations of He following a double charge exchange process by He 2+ ions impinging on H 2 molecules. Well-defined oscillations are visible in the angular distribution of the electrons emitted towards the receding H + protons. The presence of these oscillations demonstrates that a single electron interferes with itself. This is analogous to the famous "thought" experiment imagined and discussed by Feynman in 1963, in which the quantum nature of the electron was illustrated by making it traverse an atomic-size double-slit arrangement.
We report the first observation of Young-type interference effects in a two-electron transfer process. These effects change strongly as the projectile velocity changes in fast (1.2 and 2.0 MeV) He(2+) + H(2) collisions as manifested in strong variations of the double-electron capture rates with the H(2) orientation. This is consistent with fully quantum mechanical calculations, which ignore sequential electron transfer, and a simple projectile de Broglie wave picture assuming that two-electron transfer probabilities are higher in collisions where the projectile passes close to either one of the H(2) nuclei.
L’experience d’interferences de type Young avec un systeme interferentiel a l’echelle atomique et une source d’electron unique a ete realisee avec succes. L’electron provient de l’autoionisation de l’helium doublement excite (2lnl’ n ≥ 2), apres capture des deux electrons d’une cible moleculaire H2 par un ion projectile He2+. En se desexcitant par autoionisation, l’atome He** constitue une source d’electron unique independante de l’interferometre compose par les deux protons H+ de la molecule H2 completement ionisee. Nous avons mesure les distributions en energie et en angle des electrons emis lors de collisions He2+ + H2. Les spectres obtenus font apparaitre des pics associes aux electrons Auger emis par le projectile He**. Chaque electron Auger diffuse de facon coherente sur les deux centres H+ de la molecule cible. Le systeme interferentiel H+-H+ est systematiquement detruit apres avoir ete traverse par un seul electron. De cette maniere, une experience d’interference elementaire a electron unique est realisee. En repetant un grand nombre de fois cette experience elementaire, le phenomene d’interference a electron unique se manifeste par l’apparition d’oscillations dans la distribution angulaire des electrons diffuses. Pour la collision 3He2+ + H2 a 30 keV, les oscillations presentent une periode de ~ 17° proche de la valeur obtenue theoriquement. Ces oscillations observees pour la premiere fois avec des electrons uniques envoyes sur un systeme interferentiel a l’echelle atomique constituent une preuve experimentale qu'un electron interfere avec lui-meme.
For the last 50 years, there has been considerable interest in the possibility of observing the equivalence of a Young's double-slit wave interference at the quantum level for diatomic molecules. For electron-impact ionization of diatomic molecules, indirect evidence for this type of interference has been found by changing the energy (wavelength) of the ejected electron while keeping the incident projectile scattering angle fixed. The present work represents an experimental and theoretical collaboration to better understand the physics of this type of interference. In addition to examining the effect of changing the ejected electron energy for a fixed scattered projectile angle, we have also examined the effect of keeping the ejected electron energy fixed while varying the projectile scattering angle. Model calculations are performed for three different types of possible two-center interference effects, and it is found that the most important one is diffraction of the projectile off two scattering centers.