Limitations on the validity of the non-relativistic dipole approximation for photoelectron angular distributions

Abstract

We present results which exhibit hazards in the use of the non-relativistic dipole approximation in the interpretation of experimental photoelectron angular distributions. Significant deviations from the non-relativistic dipole approximation occur for both low and high Z atoms. In light elements these effects are found in the keV range and even below. In heavy elements they are found even for energies very close to threshold. For total cross sections, in contrast to this angular distribution situation, the surviving integrated relativistic and multipole corrections tend to cancel, so that the non-relativistic dipole approximation holds to surprisingly high energies.