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Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Measurement and Analysis of Atomic Hydrogen and Diatomic Molecular AlO, C2, CN, and TiO Spectra Following Laser-induced Optical Breakdown
Published on: February 14, 2014
Differential cross sections for ionization of laser-aligned atoms by electron impact
Kate L Nixon1, Andrew James Murray
1Photon Science Institute, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
The first experimental data are given for (e,2e) ionization from laser-aligned atoms. A linearly polarized laser excited Mg atoms to the 3¹P₁ state prior to ionization by low energy electrons. The scattered and ejected electrons were detected in coincidence and the differential cross section determined for a range of alignment angles. An asymmetric coplanar geometry was used, with one electron fixed and the other detected at different angles. The data are compared to that from the spherically symmetric 3¹S₀ state. Significant differences are found, in both magnitude and angular distribution.
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