Two-Particle Interference of Electron Pairs on a Molecular Level.

Area of Science:

• Atomic and Molecular Physics
• Quantum Mechanics
• Chemical Physics

Background:

• Photodouble ionization is a fundamental process where a molecule absorbs a photon, leading to the ejection of two electrons.
• Understanding electron correlation and interference phenomena is crucial for describing molecular behavior under light interaction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the angular emission distributions of electrons following photodouble ionization of H2 molecules.
• To explore the presence or absence of two-center interference in the emitted electron system.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing 400 eV photons to induce photodouble ionization in H2 molecules.
• Analyzing the angular emission distributions of individual electrons and the combined electron system (dielectron).

Main Results:

• Individual emitted electrons do not display two-center interference fringes in their angular distributions.
• The dielectron, a quasiparticle comprising both electrons, exhibits clear two-center interference fringes.

Conclusions:

• The study demonstrates that two-center interference is observable in the collective behavior of electrons, not in individual electrons.
• This finding underscores the significance of nonlocal effects in many-particle quantum processes.