Evidence for a {\bf T}-shape break-up pattern in the triple photoionization of Li

Abstract

We examine the angular distributions of all three electrons ionized from Li by a single photon near the triple ionization threshold using a fully quantum-mechanical treatment. We find strong evidence for a {\bf T}-shape break-up pattern at 5 eV excess energy as previously predicted by quasi-classical simulations [A. Emmanouilidou and J. M. Rost, \jpb {\bf 39}, 4037 (2006); A. Emmanouilidou, P. Wang, and J. M. Rost, \prl {\bf 100}, 063002 (2008)]. This finding is in conflict with the expected Wannier break-up dynamics of three electrons moving at mutual angles of 120${}^{\circ }$, which is expected to hold at energies a few eV above threshold. We use our quantum-mechanical approach to explore the physical mechanisms behind this unusual break-up configuration.

References in corpus (2)

• The Coulomb four-body problem in a classical framework: Triple photoionization of lithium
• Initial state dependence in multi-electron threshold ionization of atoms

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