Fano's Propensity Rule in Angle-Resolved Attosecond Pump-Probe Photoionization

Abstract

In a seminal article, Fano predicts that absorption of light occurs preferably with increase of angular momentum. We generalize Fano's propensity rule to laser-assisted photoionization, consisting of absorption of an extreme-ultraviolet photon followed by absorption or emission of an infrared photon. The predicted asymmetry between absorption and emission leads to incomplete quantum interference in attosecond photoelectron interferometry. It explains both the angular dependence of the photoionization time delays and the delay dependence of the photoelectron angular distributions. Our theory is verified by experimental results in Ar in the 20-40 eV range.