SPIN AND ORBITAL ANGULAR MOMENTUM EFFECTS IN THE (e,2e) IONIZATION OF SODIUM


A. Elliott*, J. Lower and E. Weigold
 

Research School of Physical Sciences and Engineering, IAS, The Australian
 National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
*Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Oklahoma, 440 West Brooks,
 Norman OK, USA 73019-0225

We present (e,2e) cross sections for the ionization of spin-polarized
ground and excited state sodium atoms by spin- polarized electrons. Laser
pumping of the sodium atoms prior to ionization is used to prepare them in
a specific angular momentum magnetic substate. Measuring cross sections
under such conditions, where the projection quantum numbers of the initial
state are determined, elucidates the roles of spin and orbital angular
momentum in the ionization process.