Dipole and nondipole photoionization of molecular hydrogen

Abstract

We describe a theoretical approach to molecular photoionization that includes first-order corrections to the dipole approximation. The theoretical formalism is presented and applied to photoionization of H2 over the 20- to 180-eV photon energy range. The angle-integrated cross section σ, the electric dipole anisotropy parameter βe, the molecular alignment anisotropy parameter βm, and the first-order nondipole asymmetry parameters γ and δ were calculated within the single-channel, static-exchange approximation. The calculated parameters are compared with previous measurements of σ and βm and the present measurements of βe and γ+3δ. The dipole and nondipole angular distribution parameters were determined simultaneously using an efficient, multiangle measurement technique. Good overall agreement is observed between the magnitudes and spectral variations of the calculated and measured parameters. The nondipole asymmetries of He 1s and Ne 2p photoelectrons were also measured in the course of this work.