Evidence of orbital mixing upon ionization via Cooper minimum photoelectron dynamics in epichlorohydrin. Experiment and theory

L L. Schio (CNR - Istituto Officina dei Materiali (IOM), Laboratorio TASC, Area Science Park Basovizza 1 , Trieste,) M M. Alagia (CNR - Istituto Officina dei Materiali (IOM), Laboratorio TASC, Area Science Park Basovizza 1 , Trieste,) T T. Moitra (DTU Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark 3 , Kemitorvet 207, Kongens Lyngby 2800,) D D. Toffoli (Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Trieste 5 , Trieste,) A A. Ponzi (Institut Ruder Bošković 6 , Bijeniška Cesta 54, Zagreb 10000,) M M. Stener (Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Trieste 5 , Trieste,) S S. Coriani (DTU Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark 3 , Kemitorvet 207, Kongens Lyngby 2800,) P P. Decleva (Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Trieste 5 , Trieste,) O O. Rebrov (Department of Physics, University of Stockholm 7 , Stockholm,) V V. Zhaunerchyk (Department of Physics, University of Gothenburg 8 , Gothenburg,) M M. Larsson S S. Falcinelli (Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile ed Ambientale, Università Degli Studi di Perugia 9 , Perugia,) A A. A. Dias (Laboratory for Instrumentation, Biomedical Engineering, and Radiation Physics, Departamento de Fisica, Facultade de Ciencias e Tecnologia, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa 10 , Capacarica,) D D. Catone (CNR-ISM, Area Della Ricerca di Roma Tor Vergata 11 , Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, Roma,) S S. Turchini (CNR-ISM, Area Della Ricerca di Roma Tor Vergata 11 , Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, Roma,) N N. Zema (CNR-ISM, Area Della Ricerca di Roma Tor Vergata 11 , Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, Roma,) F F. Salvador (CNR-ISM, Area Della Ricerca di Roma Tor Vergata 11 , Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, Roma,) D D. Benedetti (CNR - Istituto Officina dei Materiali (IOM), Laboratorio TASC, Area Science Park Basovizza 1 , Trieste,) D D. Vivoda (Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, Area Science Park 12 , Basovizza, Trieste,) B B. Botta (Department of Chemistry and Technologies of Drugs, Sapienza University 13 , Rome I-00183,) S S. Stranges (CNR - Istituto Officina dei Materiali (IOM), Laboratorio TASC, Area Science Park Basovizza 1 , Trieste,)

Abstract

A peculiar electron correlation effect, leading to orbital rotation upon ionization, theoretically predicted long ago, was never experimentally characterized. The effect is expected to appear prominently in the photoionization of chiral molecules, due to the lack of symmetry constraints on wave-function mixing. This is observed to have a profound effect on the photoelectron dynamics, as here demonstrated by investigating the β asymmetry parameter and partial cross-section observables in the Cl 3p Cooper minimum region of epichlorohydrin, a chiral prototype system. Angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy with tunable synchrotron radiation allowed measuring Cooper minimum β oscillations, which were observed for solely two valence photoionization channels. The nature and number of channels exhibiting such dynamical behavior, along with the extent of the observed oscillation amplitudes, could not be accounted for by predictions based on Hartree–Fock and density functional theory. These features could only be explained by incorporating correlation effects, which mix single-hole configurations of identical symmetry, in the characterization of the four lowest-lying molecular cation states via equation-of-motion coupled-cluster-singles-and-doubles Dyson orbitals.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 164, Issue 20
Published May 28, 2026
ISSN 0021-9606
Publisher American Institute of Physics

Journal Info

The Journal of Chemical Physics

American Institute of Physics

ISSN: 0021-9606 Physical Sciences

Authors (21)

L

L. Schio

CNR - Istituto Officina dei Materiali (IOM), Laboratorio TASC, Area Science Park Basovizza 1 , Trieste,

M

M. Alagia

CNR - Istituto Officina dei Materiali (IOM), Laboratorio TASC, Area Science Park Basovizza 1 , Trieste,

T

T. Moitra

DTU Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark 3 , Kemitorvet 207, Kongens Lyngby 2800,

D

D. Toffoli

Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Trieste 5 , Trieste,

A

A. Ponzi

Institut Ruder Bošković 6 , Bijeniška Cesta 54, Zagreb 10000,

M

M. Stener

Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Trieste 5 , Trieste,

S

S. Coriani

DTU Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark 3 , Kemitorvet 207, Kongens Lyngby 2800,

P

P. Decleva

Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Trieste 5 , Trieste,

O

O. Rebrov

Department of Physics, University of Stockholm 7 , Stockholm,

V

V. Zhaunerchyk

Department of Physics, University of Gothenburg 8 , Gothenburg,

M

M. Larsson

S

S. Falcinelli

Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile ed Ambientale, Università Degli Studi di Perugia 9 , Perugia,

A

A. A. Dias

Laboratory for Instrumentation, Biomedical Engineering, and Radiation Physics, Departamento de Fisica, Facultade de Ciencias e Tecnologia, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa 10 , Capacarica,

D

D. Catone

CNR-ISM, Area Della Ricerca di Roma Tor Vergata 11 , Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, Roma,

S

S. Turchini

CNR-ISM, Area Della Ricerca di Roma Tor Vergata 11 , Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, Roma,

N

N. Zema

CNR-ISM, Area Della Ricerca di Roma Tor Vergata 11 , Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, Roma,

F

F. Salvador

CNR-ISM, Area Della Ricerca di Roma Tor Vergata 11 , Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, Roma,

D

D. Benedetti

CNR - Istituto Officina dei Materiali (IOM), Laboratorio TASC, Area Science Park Basovizza 1 , Trieste,

D

D. Vivoda

Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, Area Science Park 12 , Basovizza, Trieste,

B

B. Botta

Department of Chemistry and Technologies of Drugs, Sapienza University 13 , Rome I-00183,

S

S. Stranges

CNR - Istituto Officina dei Materiali (IOM), Laboratorio TASC, Area Science Park Basovizza 1 , Trieste,