Universality of photoelectron circular dichroism in the photoionization of chiral molecules

• Published in: New journal of physics Vol. 18; no. 10; pp. 102002 - 102009
• Main Authors: Beaulieu, S, Ferré, A, Géneaux, R, Canonge, R, Descamps, D, Fabre, B, Fedorov, N, Légaré, F, Petit, S, Ruchon, T, Blanchet, V, Mairesse, Y, Pons, B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 01-10-2016; Institute of Physics: Open Access Journals
• Subjects: 33.55.+b; 78.20.Ek; Angular distribution; Chirality; Circular polarization; Dichroism; Electric fields; Ionization; multiphoton ionization; photoelectron circular dichroism; Photoelectrons; Photoionization; Physics; Polarized radiation; strong fields
• ISSN: 1367-2630; 1367-2630
• DOI: 10.1088/1367-2630/18/10/102002

Photoionization of chiral molecules by circularly polarized radiation gives rise to a strong forward/backward asymmetry in the photoelectron angular distribution, referred to as photoelectron circular dichroism (PECD). Here we show that PECD is a universal effect that reveals the inherent chirality of the target in all ionization regimes: single photon, multiphoton, above-threshold and tunnel ionization. These different regimes provide complementary spectroscopic information at electronic and vibrational levels. The universality of the PECD can be understood in terms of a classical picture of the ionizing process, in which electron scattering on the chiral potential under the influence of a circularly polarized electric field results in a strong forward/backward asymmetry.