Evidence for unnatural-parity contributions to electron-impact ionization of laser-aligned atoms

G. S.J. Armstrong; J. Colgan; M.S. Pindzola; S. Amami; D.H. Madison; J. Pursehouse; K. L. Nixon; A. J. Murray

doi:10.1103/PhysRevA.92.032706

Evidence for unnatural-parity contributions to electron-impact ionization of laser-aligned atoms

G. S.J. Armstrong, J. Colgan, M.S. Pindzola, S. Amami, D.H. Madison, J. Pursehouse, K. L. Nixon, A. J. Murray

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Recent measurements have examined the electron-impact ionization of excited-state laser-aligned Mg atoms. In this work we show that the ionization cross section arising from the geometry where the aligned atom is perpendicular to the scattering plane directly probes the unnatural parity contributions to the ionization amplitude. The contributions from natural parity partial waves cancel exactly in this geometry. Our calculations resolve the discrepancy between the nonzero measured cross sections in this plane and the zero cross section predicted by distorted-wave approaches. We demonstrate that this is a general feature of ionization from p-state targets by additional studies of ionization from excited Ca and Na atoms.

Original language	English
Article number	032706
Journal	Physical Review A (Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics)
Volume	92
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.92.032706
Publication status	Published - 11 Sept 2015
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

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title = "Evidence for unnatural-parity contributions to electron-impact ionization of laser-aligned atoms",

abstract = "Recent measurements have examined the electron-impact ionization of excited-state laser-aligned Mg atoms. In this work we show that the ionization cross section arising from the geometry where the aligned atom is perpendicular to the scattering plane directly probes the unnatural parity contributions to the ionization amplitude. The contributions from natural parity partial waves cancel exactly in this geometry. Our calculations resolve the discrepancy between the nonzero measured cross sections in this plane and the zero cross section predicted by distorted-wave approaches. We demonstrate that this is a general feature of ionization from p-state targets by additional studies of ionization from excited Ca and Na atoms.",

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AU - Armstrong, G. S.J.

AU - Colgan, J.

AU - Pindzola, M.S.

AU - Amami, S.

AU - Madison, D.H.

AU - Pursehouse, J.

AU - Nixon, K. L.

AU - Murray, A. J.

PY - 2015/9/11

Y1 - 2015/9/11

N2 - Recent measurements have examined the electron-impact ionization of excited-state laser-aligned Mg atoms. In this work we show that the ionization cross section arising from the geometry where the aligned atom is perpendicular to the scattering plane directly probes the unnatural parity contributions to the ionization amplitude. The contributions from natural parity partial waves cancel exactly in this geometry. Our calculations resolve the discrepancy between the nonzero measured cross sections in this plane and the zero cross section predicted by distorted-wave approaches. We demonstrate that this is a general feature of ionization from p-state targets by additional studies of ionization from excited Ca and Na atoms.

AB - Recent measurements have examined the electron-impact ionization of excited-state laser-aligned Mg atoms. In this work we show that the ionization cross section arising from the geometry where the aligned atom is perpendicular to the scattering plane directly probes the unnatural parity contributions to the ionization amplitude. The contributions from natural parity partial waves cancel exactly in this geometry. Our calculations resolve the discrepancy between the nonzero measured cross sections in this plane and the zero cross section predicted by distorted-wave approaches. We demonstrate that this is a general feature of ionization from p-state targets by additional studies of ionization from excited Ca and Na atoms.

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VL - 92

JO - Physical Review A (Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics)

JF - Physical Review A (Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics)

IS - 3

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ER -

Evidence for unnatural-parity contributions to electron-impact ionization of laser-aligned atoms

Abstract

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