Absolute measurements of the photoionization cross section of the 5D [formula omitted] Cs excited state and of the photodissociation cross section of Cs 2 between 540 and 550 nm

Abstract

We apply to two-photon resonant ionization of Cs via resonant dissociative states of Cs 2 the technique of transition probability saturation. Our measurements are performed both with linear and circular polarization. Independently of the Cs 2 density, they provide the first absolute determination of the photodissociation cross section averaged over the molecular states, σ dis = (7.3 ± 1.1) X 10 −18 cm 2 at 550 nm, and of the photoionization cross section of the product atoms in the 5D 5 2 state, σ ion = (3.3 ± 0.5) X 10 −17 cm 2.