Photo-double-ionization of water at 20 eV above threshold

The photodouble ionization of the water molecule is studied at 20 eV excess energy in a combined experimental and theoretical investigation. In the experiments, two photoelectrons of equal kinetic energy are detected in coincidence after energy and angular selection. On the theoretical side, a generalized Sturmian function approach is implemented to describe accurately the correlated two-electron continuum, while separable products of Moccia orbitals [J. Chem. Phys. 40, 2164 (1964)] are used for the initial electronic state of the water molecule. The theoretical triple-differential cross sections (TDCSs) are averaged over all possible molecular orientations in order to be compared with the experiments. The measured TDCSs display rich angular distributions that are in large part well reproduced by the adopted first-order treatment of the interaction with a two-active-electron target.