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Photoprocesses of the endohedral fullerene ions Sc3N@C80+ and Sc3N@C80- in the gas phase have been investigated in the photon energy ranges 30-50 eV and 280-420 eV. Single and double ionization as well as single ionization accompanied by the release of a C2 dimer were observed as a function of the photon energy for the positive parent ion and double detachment was measured for the negative parent ion. The emphasis of the experiments was on the specific effects of the encapsulated trimetallic nitride cluster Sc3N on the observed reactions. Clear evidence of photoexcitation near the Sc L edge is obtained with the dominating contributions visible in the one- and two-electron-removal channels. K-vacancy production in the encapsulated central nitrogen atom is seen in the single ionization of Sc3N@C80+ but is much less pronounced in the photoionization-with-fragmentation channel. Comparison of the cross sections near the carbon K edge with the corresponding channels measured previously in the photoionization of Lu3N@C80+ reveal strong similarities. Previously predicted sharp resonance features in the ionization of Sc3N@C80+ ions below the Sc M edge are not confirmed. The experiments are accompanied by quantum-chemistry calculations in the Hartree-Fock approximation and by model calculations employing density functional theory (DFT).

Photoprocesses of the endohedral fullerene ions Sc3N@C80+ and Sc3N@C80- in the gas phase have been investigated in the photon energy ranges 30-50 eV and 280-420 eV. Single and double ionization as well as single ionization accompanied by the release of a C2 dimer were observed as a function of the photon energy for the positive parent ion and double detachment was measured for the negative parent ion. The emphasis of the experiments was on the specific effects of the encapsulated trimetallic nitride cluster Sc3N on the observed reactions. Clear evidence of photoexcitation near the Sc L edge is obtained with the dominating contributions visible in the one- and two-electron-removal channels. K-vacancy production in the encapsulated central nitrogen atom is seen in the single ionization of Sc3N@C80+ but is much less pronounced in the photoionization-with-fragmentation channel. Comparison of the cross sections near the carbon K edge with the corresponding channels measured previously in the photoionization of Lu3N@C80+ reveal strong similarities. Previously predicted sharp resonance features in the ionization of Sc3N@C80+ ions below the Sc M edge are not confirmed. The experiments are accompanied by quantum-chemistry calculations in the Hartree-Fock approximation and by model calculations employing density functional theory (DFT).

In a joint experimental and theoretical endeavor, photoionization of metastable C4+(1s2sS13) ions via intermediate levels with hollow, double-K-vacancy configurations 2s2p, 2s3p, 2p3s, 2p3d, 2s4p, 2p4s, and 2p4d has been investigated. High-resolution photon-ion merged-beams measurements were carried out with the resolving power reaching up to 25 800 which is sufficient to separate the leading fine-structure components of the 2s2pP3 term. Many-body perturbation theory was employed to determine level-to-level cross sections for K-shell excitation with subsequent autoionization. The resonance energies were calculated with inclusion of electron correlation and radiative contributions. Their uncertainties are estimated to be below ±1 meV. Detailed balance confirms the present photoionization cross-section results by comparison with previous dielectronic-recombination measurements. The high accuracy of the theoretical transition energies together with the present experimental results qualify photoabsorption resonances in heliumlike ions as new, greatly improved energy-reference standards at synchrotron radiation facilities.

In a joint experimental and theoretical endeavor, photoionization of metastable C4+(1s2sS13) ions via intermediate levels with hollow, double-K-vacancy configurations 2s2p, 2s3p, 2p3s, 2p3d, 2s4p, 2p4s, and 2p4d has been investigated. High-resolution photon-ion merged-beams measurements were carried out with the resolving power reaching up to 25 800 which is sufficient to separate the leading fine-structure components of the 2s2pP3 term. Many-body perturbation theory was employed to determine level-to-level cross sections for K-shell excitation with subsequent autoionization. The resonance energies were calculated with inclusion of electron correlation and radiative contributions. Their uncertainties are estimated to be below ±1 meV. Detailed balance confirms the present photoionization cross-section results by comparison with previous dielectronic-recombination measurements. The high accuracy of the theoretical transition energies together with the present experimental results qualify photoabsorption resonances in heliumlike ions as new, greatly improved energy-reference standards at synchrotron radiation facilities.

The original version of this Article contained an error in the fifth sentence of the first paragraph of the 'Application on H2' section of the Results, which incorrectly read 'The role of electron correlation is quite apparent in this presentation: Fig. 1a is empty for the uncorrelated Hartree-Fock wave function, since projection of the latter wave function onto the 2pσu orbital is exactly zero, while this is not the case for the fully correlated wave function (Fig. 1d); also, Fig. 1b, c for the uncorrelated description are identical, while Fig. 1e, f for the correlated case are significantly different.' The correct version replaces 'Fig. 1e, f' with 'Fig. 2e and f'.

Single, double, and triple ionization of the C+ ion by a single photon have been investigated in the energy range 286 to 326 eV around the K-shell single-ionization threshold at an unprecedented level of detail. At energy resolutions as low as 12 meV, corresponding to a resolving power of 24 000, natural linewidths of the most prominent resonances could be determined. From the measurement of absolute cross sections, oscillator strengths, Einstein coefficients, multielectron Auger decay rates, and other transition parameters of the main K-shell excitation and decay processes are derived. The cross sections are compared to results of previous theoretical calculations. Mixed levels of agreement are found despite the relatively simple atomic structure of the C+ ion with only five electrons. This paper is a followup to a previous Letter [A. Müller, Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 013002 (2015)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.114.013002].

The toolbox for imaging molecules is well-equipped today. Some techniques visualize the geometrical structure, others the electron density or electron orbitals. Molecules are many-body systems for which the correlation between the constituents is decisive and the spatial and the momentum distribution of one electron depends on those of the other electrons and the nuclei. Such correlations have escaped direct observation by imaging techniques so far. Here, we implement an imaging scheme which visualizes correlations between electrons by coincident detection of the reaction fragments after high energy photofragmentation. With this technique, we examine the H2 two-electron wave function in which electron-electron correlation beyond the mean-field level is prominent. We visualize the dependence of the wave function on the internuclear distance. High energy photoelectrons are shown to be a powerful tool for molecular imaging. Our study paves the way for future time resolved correlation imaging at FELs and laser based X-ray sources.

Single, double, and triple photoionization of Ne+ ions by single photons have been investigated at the synchrotron radiation source PETRA III in Hamburg, Germany. Absolute cross-sections were measured by employing the photon-ion merged-beams technique. Photon energies were between about 840 and 930 eV, covering the range from the lowest-energy resonances associated with the excitation of one single K-shell electron up to double excitations involving one K- and one L-shell electron, well beyond the K-shell ionization threshold. Also, photoionization of neutral Ne was investigated just below the K edge. The chosen photon energy bandwidths were between 32 and 500 meV, facilitating the determination of natural line widths. The uncertainty of the energy scale is estimated to be 0.2 eV. For comparison with existing theoretical calculations, astrophysically relevant photoabsorption cross-sections were inferred by summing the measured partial ionization channels. Discussion of the observed resonances in the different final ionization channels reveals the presence of complex Auger-decay mechanisms. The ejection of three electrons from the lowest K-shell-excited Ne+() level, for example, requires cooperative interaction of at least four electrons.

We investigate the photodouble ionization of H_{2} molecules with 400 eV photons. We find that the emitted electrons do not show any sign of two-center interference fringes in their angular emission distributions if considered separately. In contrast, the quasiparticle consisting of both electrons (i.e., the "dielectron") does. The work highlights the fact that nonlocal effects are embedded everywhere in nature where many-particle processes are involved.