Different sequential photo ionization schemes for neon with 90.5 eV photons (red rectangles): (c) sequential ionization without respecting atomic structure, (b) only energetically allowed ionization steps from the respective ionic ground states, (a) sequential ionization with maximum photon energy storage through shake-up indicated by black rectangles
Figure 4. Different sequential photo ionization schemes for neon with 90.5 eV photons (red rectangles): (c) sequential ionization without respecting atomic structure, (b) only energetically allowed ionization steps from the respective ionic ground states, (a) sequential ionization with maximum photon energy storage through shake-up indicated by black rectangles. On the left the absolute energy scale of the neon ions (charge state on the right) are given; the ionization potentials IPn in the middle for stepwise ionization from the respective ionic ground state are taken from [33].
Abstract
At the free-electron laser FLASH, multiple ionization of neon atoms was quantitatively investigated at photon energies of 93.0 and 90.5 eV. For ion charge states up to 6+, we compare the respective absolute photoionization yields with results from a minimal model and an elaborate description including standard sequential and direct photoionization channels. Both approaches are based on rate equations and take into account a Gaussian spatial intensity distribution of the laser beam. From the comparison we conclude that photoionization up to a charge of 5+ can be described by the minimal model which we interpret as sequential photoionization assisted by electron shake-up processes. For higher charges, the experimental ionization yields systematically exceed the elaborate rate-based prediction.
