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  • Open Access

Modeling angularly resolved resonant phase jumps in fine-structure-split regions of heavy atoms

Elisei Mankov1, Soumyajit Saha1,2, Anton Ljungdahl1, Johanna Sörngård1, Jimmy Vinbladh1, Eva Lindroth1, and C. Leon M. Petersson1,*

  • *Contact author: leon.petersson@fysik.su.se
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Phys. Rev. A 114, 043112 – Published 16 October, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/t1qg-jmrg

Abstract

In the current communication, we use the random phase approximation with exchange method to investigate the fine-structure split energy region between the first and second ionization thresholds of xenon and radon. Such regions can be found in all noble gases, save for helium, and contain a series of autoionizing resonances which strongly modulate the photoionization process. For both xenon and radon, we calculate the angularly integrated and resolved cross section and photoionization phases. We find that, near some resonances, the phase switches between a less than π and a 2π jump at given photoelectron emission angles. This holds for both the Wigner and atomic phase, although the angles may differ, causing sharp modulations in the continuum-continuum contribution. To explain this behavior, we present a model capable of capturing both the angularly integrated and resolved resonant variations of the atomic and Wigner phase. The angles at which the phase-jump switches occur are also predicted by the model and may be calculated analytically.

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Phys. Rev. A 114, 043112– Published 16 October, 2026
  • Received 1 June 2026
  • Accepted 23 September 2026
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Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI. Funded by Bibsam.

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