Photoionization of Li and Na in Debye plasma environments.

A calculation of the photoionization cross sections is presented for alkali-metal atoms such as Li and Na in plasma environments. The computational scheme is based on the complex coordinate rotation method. A model potential formalism has been used to simplify the computational complexity of the problems of making quantitative predictions of properties and interactions of many electron systems in Debye plasmas. The plasma environment is found to appreciably influence the photoionization cross sections. In this regard the photoionization cross sections of isolated atoms are also discussed that is found to be in good agreement with the previous theoretical results. It is observed that the strong plasma screening effect remarkably alters the photoionization cross sections near the ionization threshold. The Cooper minimum in the photoionization cross sections of Na shifts toward the higher energy as the plasma screening effect increases. For Li, the Cooper minimum is uncovered in strong plasma environments. This is the first time such structures have been determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]