Molecular Auger Interferometry

Abstract

We propose a theory of interferometric measurement of a normal Auger decay width in molecules. Molecular Auger interferometry is based on the coherent phase control of Auger dynamics in a two-colour (ω/2ω) laser field. We show that, in contrast to atoms, in oriented molecules of certain point groups (e.g. CH3F) the relative ω/2ω phase modulates the total ionisation yield. A simple analytical formula is derived for the extraction of the widths of Auger-active states from a molecular Auger interferogram, avoiding the need of either attosecond or high-resolution spectroscopy.