Dynamics of atomic spin-orbit-state wave packets produced by short-pulse laser photodetachment

TL;DR

This paper analyzes laser-induced atomic spin-orbit wave packets, deriving a formula for quantum beats, and emphasizes the importance of a full density matrix approach for accurate interpretation of experimental data.

Contribution

It provides a theoretical formula for quantum beats in atomic wave packets and highlights the necessity of a full density matrix treatment based on experimental analysis.

Findings

Derived a formula describing quantum beats in atomic wave packets.

Extracted non-coherent background contributions for different species.

Showed the need for a full density matrix approach in analysis.

Abstract

We analyse the experiment by Hultgren et al. [Phys. Rev. A {\bf 87}, 031404 (2013)] on orbital alignment and quantum beats in coherently excited atomic fine-structure manifolds produced by short-pulse laser photodetachment of C$^-$, Si$^-$ and Ge$^-$ negative ions, and derive a formula that describes the beats. Analysis of the experimental data enables us to extract the non-coherent background contribution for each species, and indicates the need for a full density matrix treatment of the problem.