Interchannel interference in resonant Auger scattering from fixed-in-space molecules as a technique for structure determination

Abstract

A method for structure determination of polyatomic molecules with equivalent atoms is suggested. The method is based on an interference pattern in the resonant Auger scattering process. This pattern is caused by interference of resonant Auger channels corresponding to a core hole localized on different equivalent atoms. The predicted effect can be observed in angular resolved electron-ion coincidence measurements or, alternatively, using the ordinary Auger technique on surface-oriented molecules.