Synchrotron radiation spectroscopy of molecular dynamics beyond the valence shell

Abstract: This thesis presents experimental results on molecular spectroscopy of gas phase molecules using synchrotron radiation. It deals mainly with dynamical processes following resonant excitation of electrons from core and inner-valence shells of the following systems H2O, H2, SF6 and CD4. In order to reach these deep electrons and excite them photons in the energy range from 25 to 550 eV were used, depending on the particular system.Two experimental techniques are used. Photon induced fluorescence spectroscopy is used to study the fluorescence emission of fragments after the decay of resonant coreexcited states for the water molecule, and after doubly excited states and resonant excitations of inner-shell electrons for H2 and SF6 respectively. Only the emission in the visible and near infrared range (300-900nm) and the Lyman-? transitions are measured. Energy resolved electron-ion coincidence is used for the study of the fragmentation of CD4 and SF6 after selective ionisation of one of the outer-valence orbitals. In the case of CD4 the fragmentation is compared for the cases in which the ionisation is done directly, or through participator Auger decay of different resonantly core-excited states.