Multichannel photodetachment theory

A general theoretical treatment of multichannel photodetachment is presented, with application to ${\mathrm{Cs}}^{-}$ photodetachment from 14 800 to 15 600 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{-1\mathrm{}}$. The sharp and strong resonances near the first ${}_{}{}^2{}_{}{}^{}P$ states of the Cs atom, observed by Patterson et al., were reproduced by fitting eight physically meaningful parameters of a general theoretical framework. Predictions are also made concerning the branching ratios, the angular distribution, and the spin orientation of the detached electrons as well as the orientation of the excited neutral Cs atoms.