Confinement resonances in photoionization of endohedral atoms: a myth or reality?

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the position of an atom inside a cage affects confinement resonances in photoionization, revealing that such resonances are suppressed if the atom's displacement exceeds half the photoelectron wavelength.

Contribution

It clarifies the conditions under which confinement resonances occur, resolving contradictions between previous experiments and theories by emphasizing atom displacement effects.

Findings

Resonances are suppressed when atom displacement exceeds half the photoelectron wavelength.

The structure of confinement resonances is highly sensitive to atom position within the cage.

Recent experimental results are explained by considering atom displacement effects.

Abstract

We demonstrate that the structure of confinement resonances in the photoionization cross section of an endohedral atom is very sensitive to the mean displacement <a> of the atom from the cage center. The resonances are strongly suppressed if 2<a> exceeds the photoelectron half-wavelength. We explain the results of recent experiments which contradict the earlier theoretical predictions on the existence of confinement resonances in particular endohedral systems.