Symmetry-forbidden x-ray Raman scattering induced by a strong infrared-laser field

Resonant inelastic x-ray scattering accompanied by core-hole hopping induced by a strong infrared-laser field is studied for the nitrogen molecule. This process involves a strong laser-field-induced promotion of ungerade core holes created by a weak x-ray pulse to a gerade core level, which opens symmetry-forbidden scattering channels and gives rise to new features in the x-ray scattering spectrum. The core-hole hopping within the short lifetime of the core-excited state required for observation of the described process can be achieved at moderate intensities of the infrared field (~10¹² W/cm²) because of the large transition dipole moment between the relevant core levels. The dynamics of resonant inelastic x-ray scattering assisted by change of core-hole parity is studied in detail versus the intensity, detuning, phase, and duration of the incident infrared-laser and x-ray pulses.