Many-electron dynamics of atomic processes studied by photon-induced fluorescence spectroscopy

Abstract The progress and the chronology in understanding the influence of electron correlations on the electronic structure of atoms and the dynamics of atomic processes is reviewed focusing on benchmark rare-gas atoms. The contributions and the chronological development of Photon-Induced Fluorescence Spectroscopy (PIFS), measuring dispersed-fluorescence emission cross sections upon excitation by single photons provided by monochromatized synchrotron radiation is described. Selected experimental results obtained by complementary techniques are also discussed for comparison. The basic suites of computer programs used for the investigation of the many-electron effects in atoms and the obtained results are analysed. Special attention is paid to the Configuration Interaction Pauli–Fock approximation with Core Polarization (CIPFCP) method used to interpret the PIFS data.