Multi-slit-type interference in carbon 2s photoionization of polyatomic molecules: from a fundamental effect to structural parameters

Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2019 Jun 26;21(25):13600-13610. doi: 10.1039/c9cp00723g.

Abstract

In molecular photoemission, the analogue of the celebrated Young's double slit experiment is coherent electron emission from two equivalent atomic centers, giving rise to an interference pattern. Here multi-slit interference is investigated in inner-valence photoionization of propane, n-butane, isobutane and methyl peroxide. A more complex pattern is observed due to molecular orbital delocalization in polyatomic molecules, blurring the distinction between interference and diffraction. The potential to extract geometrical information is emphasized, as a more powerful extension of the EXAFS technique. Accurate reproduction of experimental features is obtained by simulations at the static Density Functional Theory level.