Theoretical two-center interference patterns produced (i) by the $K$-shell photoionization process of the ${\mathrm{N}}_2$ molecule and (ii) by the Auger decay process of the $K$-shell hole state of the ${\mathrm{N}}_2$ molecule are compared for the case of equal photo- and Auger-electron energies of about 360 eV. The comparison shows that both the angular distribution of the photoelectrons and the angular distribution of the Auger electrons of equal energy in the molecular frame are primarily defined by the Young interference. The experimental data for the angular resolved $K$-shell Auger electrons as a function of the kinetic-energy release (KER) obtained earlier [Phys. Rev. A 81, 043426 (2010)] have been renormalized in order to visualize the angular variation in the regions of low Auger-electron intensities. That renormalized data are compared with the corresponding theoretical results. From the known behavior of the potential energy curves, the connection between the KER and the internuclear distance can be established. Since the Young interference pattern is sensitive to the internuclear distance in the molecule, from the measured KER dependence of the Young interference pattern one can trace the behavior of the Auger-electron angular distribution for different molecular terms as a function of internuclear distance. The results of that analysis are in a good agreement with the corresponding theoretical predictions.

• Received 18 June 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.82.023420