Photoionization ofHe(nP1,3)Atoms Excited by Polarized Light

The $S$ and $D$ partial-wave cross sections for photoionization from the $3{}_{}{}^1{}_{}{}^{}P$, $4{}_{}{}^1{}_{}{}^{}P$, $3{}_{}{}^3{}_{}{}^{}P$, and $4{}_{}{}^3{}_{}{}^{}P$ states of helium are calculated for ejected-electron energies from 2.04 to 13.6 eV. It is shown that the $S$ and $D$ contributions may be combined to obtain the total cross section for arbitrary polarization states of the excited helium atoms and of the ionizing radiation. Good agreement is obtained with a recent experimental determination in which polarized $\mathrm{He}\left(n{}_{}{}^{1,3}{}_{}{}^{}P\right)$ atoms were excited and subsequently ionized by linearly polarized laser light.