Image of the week: photoionization of hydrogen

By Thomas Farrell on August 9, 2017

In a recent paper published in JPhysB, researchers collaborating from Greece, France, Germany, The Netherlands and the United States observe a checkerboard interference pattern in the transverse momentum distribution for single-photon ionization of hydrogen atoms in a DC electric field. Having performed the experiment, A S Stodolna et al analyse the pattern and suggest that this may lead to novel ways of encoding ultrafast electron dynamics. This may be significant in the future to the field of attosecond physics.

A representative image for non-resonant ionization of hydrogen in the presence of a 796 V cm−1 DC electric field, for a value of the scaled electron energy. The image consists of two concentric rings (direct, inner, and indirect, outer), that arise from direct and indirect electron trajectories. Within the inner ring, an interference pattern is clearly visible. Taken from A S Stodolna et al 2017 J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 50 164001, © IOP Publishing, All Rights Reserved.

This work was published as part of JPhysB’s special issue on hydrogen entitled “Hydrogen: a Fundamental System in All States”. As the Journal of Physics B; Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics celebrates its 50th anniversary, what system could better illustrate the science that has flourished between its covers over the past 49 volumes than hydrogen? The special issue is currently in the process of being published, but you can read the first articles here.

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