Effects of positive-ion resonances in photoionization of neutral atoms

Single photoionization of neutral atoms is examined theoretically for a situation in which the photoionizing laser is tuned close to the resonant frequency for transitions between the ground and first-excited states of the positive ion. The resonant coupling in the positive ion is shown to have a dramatic peak-splitting effect on the kinetic-energy spectrum of the ionized electron. An essential-states analysis of the photoionization process is presented, and a comparison is made with numerical results for one-dimensional helium. The agreement between the results establishes the validity of the essential-states approach. The possibility of superposing this core-coherence effect with laser-induced autoionization effects is considered.