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  • Letter
  • Open Access

Attosecond photoionization delays as time-domain photoelectron holography in polyatomic molecules

Ling-Hui Yao1,2, Alexandra S. Landsman3, Xu Wang4, Liang-Wen Pi1,*, and Yuxi Fu1,†

  • *Contact author: lwpi@opt.ac.cn
  • †Contact author: fuyuxi@opt.ac.cn
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Phys. Rev. Research 8, L032017 – Published 31 July, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/2f6k-vpl5

Abstract

Attosecond photoionization time delays carry direct information about molecular structure, but isolating that structural contribution remains a central challenge in polyatomic systems. Here, we introduce a single-scattering framework that separates the ionization process into an iodine giant dipole resonance transition and subsequent electron propagation. Applied to iodopropane isomers, the method yields angle-resolved amplitudes, phases, and Wigner time delays, and shows that the delay is controlled by interference between direct and structurally scattered electron waves. We reproduce the experimentally observed isomer-dependent delay differences, showing that they originate from distinct geometric arrangements. Our results establish a form of attosecond electron holography in the time domain, identifying structural contributions to attosecond delays in complex molecules.

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Outline

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Phys. Rev. Research 8, L032017– Published 31 July, 2026
  • Received 9 May 2026
  • Accepted 14 July 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.

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