Laser photoelectron spectroscopy: mixed traits of excited states

Laser photoelectron spectroscopy possesses unique properties far elucidatin g the electronic structure of excited states of small- and medium-sized mol ecules. The method has significantly contributed to the understanding of ex cited-state spectroscopy and dynamics of a large variety of chemically rele vant molecules. Illustrative examples will be discussed in which the often dominant role of superexcited states is highlighted, and in which attention is focused on recent research concerned with the direct experimental obser vation of configuration interaction.