Structure determination through measurements of Doppler-split Auger resonances in fixed-in-space molecules

Abstract

Auger resonances of dissociating atoms in randomly oriented molecules experience large electronic Doppler shifts. We predict that when fixed-in-space molecules are considered there will appear extra Doppler resonances resulting from the diffractional scattering of the Auger electrons by the surrounding atoms. These resonances show sharp maxima in bond directions, something that makes them very promising as probes for local molecular structure using current energy- and angular-resolved electron-ion coincidence experiments.