Fullerenes and endohedrals as "big atoms"

TL;DR

This paper explores the electronic structure and photoionization characteristics of fullerenes and endohedrals, highlighting their behavior as 'big atoms' and examining their interactions with various laser fields.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of the photoionization features of fullerenes and endohedrals, emphasizing effects like wave reflection, polarization, and multi-electron processes, which are novel insights.

Findings

Photoelectron wave reflection by static potential affects cross-section

Fullerenes' polarizable shell modifies photon beam interactions

Multi-electron ionization and high-energy photon emission are prominent

Abstract

We present the main features of the electronic structure of the heavy atoms that is best of all seen in photoionization. We acknowledge how important was and still is investigation of the interaction between low- and high frequency lasers with big intensity. We discuss the fullerenes and endohedrals as big atoms concentrating upon their most prominent features revealed in photoionization. Namely, we discuss reflection of photoelectron wave by the static potential that mimics the fullerenes electron shell and modification of the incoming photon beam under the action of the polarizable fullerenes shell. Both effects are clearly reflected in the photoionization cross-section. We discuss the possible features of interaction between laser field of both low and high frequency and high intensity upon fullerenes and endohedrals. We envisage prominent effects of multi-electron ionization and photon emission, including high energy photons. We emphasize the important role that can be played by electron exchange in these processes.