Vector parameters in atomic ionization by twisted light: polarization of electron and residual ion

TL;DR

This paper explores how twisted light influences the polarization and angular distribution of photoelectrons and residual ions during atomic ionization, revealing symmetry-breaking effects and potential additional helicity introduced by the radiation.

Contribution

It extends previous methods to analyze vector correlation parameters, including electron spin polarization and ion orientation, in photoionization by twisted light, highlighting new symmetry-breaking phenomena.

Findings

Twisted light induces measurable spin polarization in photoelectrons.

The cone angle of twisted light affects electron spin components.

Symmetry-breaking effects depend on radiation polarization and target properties.

Abstract

The electron and ion properties observed in a photoionization inherit a symmetry properties of both a target and a radiation. Introducing a symmetry breaking in a photoionization process one can expect to observe a noticeable variation of the vector correlation parameters of either outgoing photoelectron or a residual ion. One of the ways to violate symmetry is to irradiate a matter by the twisted radiation which involves an additional screw. In the paper we present the extension of the approach developed in [Phys. Rev. A 108, 023117 (2023)] for the photoelectron angular distribution to the other vector correlation parameters, exactly photoelectron spin polarization, orientation and alignment of the residual ion. Usually two conditions are needed to produce polarized photoelectrons: a system possesses a helix and a noticeable spin-orbital interaction. In the paper we investigate if a twisted light brings an additional helicity to a system. As an illustrative example we consider ionization of valence $4p$-shell of atomic krypton by circularly and linearly polarized Bessel light. The photoelectron spin components are analyzed as a function of the cone angle of the twisted radiation.