Angle-dependent decrease of transition probability in sequential photo double-ionization

The three-body Coulomb interaction in sequential photo double-ionization, frequently called post-collision interaction (PCI), can lead to a collapse of transition probability if the relative angle between the emitted electrons approaches zero. We have studied this effect for a specially selected atomic system, 4d5/2 photoionization in xenon with subsequent N5–O2,3O2,31S0 Auger decay, and compared the experimental data with results from a quantum mechanical PCI calculation and a classical PCI model.