Theory of pump–probe ultrafast photoemission and X-ray absorption spectra

Abstract

Keldysh Green's function approach is extensively used in order to derive practical formulas to analyze pump–probe ultrafast photoemission and X-ray absorption spectra. Here the pump pulse is strong enough whereas the probe X-ray pulse can be treated by use of a perturbation theory. We expand full Green's function in terms of renormalized Green's function without the interaction between electrons and probe pulse. The present theoretical formulas allow us to handle the intrinsic and extrinsic losses, and furthermore resonant effects in X-ray Absorption Fine Structures (XAFS). To understand the radiation field screening in XPS spectra, we have to use more sophisticated theoretical approach. In the ultrafast XPS and XAFS analyses the intrinsic and extrinsic loss effects can interfere as well. In the XAFS studies careful analyses are necessary to handle extrinsic losses in terms of damped photoelectron propagation. The nonequilibrium dynamics after the pump pulse irradiation is well described by use of the time-dependent Dyson orbitals. Well above the edge threshold, ultrafast photoelectron diffraction and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) provide us with transient structural change after the laser pump excitations. In addition to these slow processes, the rapid oscillation in time plays an important role related to pump electronic excitations. Near threshold detailed information could be obtained for the combined electronic and structural dynamics. In particular high-energy photoemission and EXAFS are not so influenced by the details of excited states by pump pulse. Random-Phase Approximation (RPA)-boson approach is introduced to derive some practical formulas for time-dependent intrinsic amplitudes.