Product State Control through Interfering Excitation Routes

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Abstract
We have demonstrated control over the branching ratio for photoionization into two different continuum channels of atomic barium using an interference between two distinct photoexcitation routes. Each pathway for photoionization is a two-photon process, and is resonantly enhanced by an intermediate state. We have found the unexpected situation of destructive interference when both lasers are resonant with their respective transitions. The magnitude of the interference, as well as the exceptionally broad wavelength range over which the interference persists, is also quite surprising.