Zero-Energy Photoelectric Effect

Abstract

We predict a near-threshold (“zero energy”) peak in multiphoton ionization for a dynamical regime where the photon frequency is large compared to the binding energy of the electron. The peak position does not depend on the laser frequency but on the binding energy and the pulse duration. The effect originates from the fact that bound-continuum dipole transitions are stronger than continuum-continuum ones. To clearly observe this zero-energy photoelectric effect, the spectral width of the laser pulse should be comparable to the binding energy of the ionized orbital, and the second ionization potential should be larger than the photon energy. This suggests negative ions as ideal candidates for corresponding experiments. Published by the American Physical Society 2025