Topical Review: Extracting molecular frame photoionization dynamics from experimental data

Abstract

Methods for experimental reconstruction of molecular frame (MF) photoionization dynamics, and related properties - specifically MF photoelectron angular distributions (PADs) and continuum density matrices - are outlined and discussed. General concepts are introduced for the non-expert reader, and experimental and theoretical techniques are further outlined in some depth. Particular focus is placed on a detailed example of numerical reconstruction techniques for matrix-element retrieval from time-domain experimental measurements making use of rotational-wavepackets (i.e. aligned frame measurements) - the ``bootstrapping to the MF" methodology - and a matrix-inversion technique for direct MF-PAD recovery. Ongoing resources for interested researchers are also introduced, including sample data, reconstruction codes (the \textit{Photoelectron Metrology Toolkit}, written in python, and associated \textit{Quantum Metrology with Photoelectrons} platform/ecosystem), and literature via online repositories; it is hoped these resources will be of ongoing use to the community.