Single photon double ionization of $\mbox{\sffamily\bfseries H}_{\hbox{\sffamily\bfseries\fontsize{10}{12}\selectfont 2}}$ by circularly polarized photons at a photon energy of 160 eV

Abstract

We report on fully differential cross sections for double ionization of H2 by a single circularly polarized photon of 160 eV energy. For an unequal sharing of the energy between the two electrons and a particular geometry where the influence of electron/electron interaction is constant, we find a four-lobe structure in the molecular frame angular distribution of the faster electron. This structure is interpreted to be due to a coherent emission of the electron from the two atomic centers of the molecule. This Young-type interference pattern is lost for other geometries, where electron-electron interaction plays a major role. Furthermore, we show that the interference structure depends strongly on the internuclear distance.