Resonant inelastic x-ray scattering at the N2 π*-resonance: Lifetime-vibrational interference, radiative electron rearrangement, and wave-function imaging

Resonant inelastic x-ray scattering spectra excited at the ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{*}$-resonance of the nitrogen molecule are presented. Well-resolved vibrational excitations in the electronic ground state, and in the $3{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{g}^{\ensuremath{-}1}1{\ensuremath{\pi}}_{g}^{1}\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}{a}^{1}{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Pi}}}_{g}$ state are observed. The spectra are analyzed within the Kramers-Heisenberg formalism, and the importance of lifetime-vibrational interference effects is highlighted. In addition, strongly dissociative multiply excited final states populated in radiative electron rearrangement are found in the valence ionization continua. The vibrational wave functions of the core-excited state are imaged on the strongly dissociative final state potentials.