Abstract. The combined use of laser and synchrotron radiations for atomic photoionization studies started in the early 1980s. The strong potential of these pump–probe experiments to gain information on excited atomic states is illustrated through some exemplary studies. The first series of experiments carried out with the early synchrotron sources, from 1960 to about 1995, are reviewed, including photoionization of unpolarized and polarized excited atoms, and time-resolved laser–synchrotron studies. With the most advanced generation of synchrotron sources, a whole new class of pump–probe experiments benefiting from the high brightness of the new synchrotron beams has been developed since 1996. A detailed review of these studies as well as possible future applications of pump–probe experiments using third generation synchrotron sources and free electron lasers is presented.

Print publication: Issue 23 (14 December 2006)
Received 12 July 2006, in final form 6 October 2006
Published 17 November 2006