Collectively enhanced resonant photoionization in a multi-atom ensemble

TL;DR

This paper explores how collective effects in multi-atom ensembles can significantly enhance resonant photoionization through quantum interference, leading to super-enhanced ionization phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of super-enhanced photoionization, demonstrating how interatomic correlations can cause ionization rates to scale with the square of the number of atoms.

Findings

Ionization enhancement scales with N^2

Constructive quantum interference amplifies photoionization

Potential for significantly increased ionization efficiency

Abstract

Photoionization of an atom via interatomic correlations to N neighboring atoms may be strongly enhanced due to constructive interference of quantum pathways. The ionization proceeds via resonant photoexcitation of a neighbor atom and subsequent interatomic Coulombic decay. The enhancement can scale with N^2, leading to "super-enhanced photoionization".