Polarization Effect in Photoionization of Cesium

Abstract

Polarized cesium atoms were ionized by circularly polarized light. The cesium-ion intensities obtained with positive and negative photon helicities were measured at various wavelengths. The results demonstrate that the wave functions for the continuum states of cesium are perturbed by a spin-orbit interaction in accordance with the theoretical interpretations given by Seaton and Fano.