Polarized electron correlations near auto-ionizing states of zinc atoms

Multi-electron metal atoms find new applications in diverse structures with spin and momentum-dependent properties having significance in determining material functionalities. Electron correlations effects are determined from scattering kinematics of spin-polarized electrons exciting zinc atoms near autoionizing states up to 16 eV. Previous studies of the 4$p^{3,1}P_{1}$, 4$d$,5$d$,6$d^{3}D_{1,2,3}$ and 4$d$,5$d^{1}D_{1}$ excited states observed photon decay intensities and scattered electron energies and angles in the energy region of the 3$d^{9}$4$s^{2}$4$p $autoionizing states up to 12 eV [1]. Strong electron correlations and active roles of 3$d $electrons were evident. Our observations of the 5$^{3}$S excited state for electron energies up to 16 eV show dominant 3$d $core-excited negative-ion resonances and strong Post-Collision Interaction (PCI). For low energies of scattered and ejected electrons, after near-threshold excitation of the 3$d^{9}$4$s^{2}$4$p $autoionizing states, a large transfer of orbital angular momentum is evident. Results include angular differential elastic scattering and excitation functions, ``integrated'' Stokes polarization parameters and spin up/down asymmetries indicating spin-orbit interaction and electron exchange effects.\\[4pt] [1] S. Napier et al Phys Rev A 78 (2008) 032706