Time delays in correlated photoemission processes

Abstract

We theoretically study time-resolved two-photon double ionization (TPDI) of helium as probed by attosecond streaking. We review recent advances in the understanding of the photoelectric effect in the time domain and discuss the differences between one- and two-photon ionization, as well as one- and two-electron emission. We perform exact ab-initio simulations for attosecond streaking experiments in the sequential TPDI regime and compare the results to the two-electron Eisenbud-Wigner-Smith delay for the process. Our calculations directly show that the timing of the emission process sensitively depends on the energy sharing between the two outgoing electrons. In particular, we identify Fano-like interferences in the relative time delay of the two emitted electrons when the sequential ionization channel occurs via intermediate excited ionic (shake-up) states. Furthermore, we find that the photoemission time delays are only weakly dependent on the relative emission angle of the ejected electrons.