Extending teh studies of ICD in the time domain

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Till Jahnke
• Subject Area: Physical Chemistry of Molecules, Liquids and Interfaces, Biophysical Chemistry ; Optics, Quantum Optics and Physics of Atoms, Molecules and Plasmas
• Term: from 2012 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 203306641

Observing the electrons in an Interatomic Coulombic Decay in real time will offer novel insights into the fundamentals of this process. We propose to carry out an experiment doing exactly that, by using combined, phase locked THz and Extended UV (EUV) radiation, which is available at the Free Electron Laser in Hamburg (FLASH), together with multiparticle coincidence momentum spectroscopy. In our experiment, we will ionize Ne dimers by ultrashort (10-50 fs) EUV photon pulses from FLASH in the presence of a THz ('streaking') field. A momentum exchange of the streaking field with the charged particles will then take place, the value of which depends on the particle direction and on the phase of the THz field. As we intend to measure all particles produced in the reaction in coincidence and with momentum resolution, we are able to detect the effect of the ICD electrons by streaking very clearly: In ICD, the sum of kinetic energy of the ions and the ICD electron is a constant. Therefore deviations from the expected sum energy are directly related to the energy imposed onto the ICD electron by the streaking field. The information on the temporal dynamics of ICD can therefore be extracted for each event.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 1789: Intermolecular and Interatomic Coulombic Decay