Ultrafast relaxation of photoexcited superfluid He nanodroplets

Superfluid He nanodroplets are ideal model systems for studying the photodynamics in weakly-bound nanostructures, both experimentally and theoretically. The present work shows that it is now possible to follow the relaxation dynamics of free nanodroplets in great detail using ultrashort tunable XUV pulses.
M. Mudrich et al. Nature Communications 11, 112 (2020)
 
The relaxation of photoexcited nanosystems is a fundamental process of light–matter interaction. Depending on the couplings of the internal degrees of freedom, relaxation can be ultrafast, converting electronic energy in a few fs, or slow, if the energy is trapped in a metastable state that decouples from its environment. Here, we study helium nanodroplets excited resonantly by femtosecond extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) pulses from a seeded free-electron laser. Despite their superfluid nature, we find that helium nanodroplets in the lowest electronically excited states undergo ultrafast relaxation.
 Retrieve article

Mudrich Marcel, Laforge Aaron, Ciavardini Alessandra, O Keeffe Patrick, Callegari Carlo, Coreno Marcello, Demidovich Alexander, Devetta Michele, Di Fraia Michele, Drabbels Marcel, Finetti Paola, Gessner Oliver, Grazioli Cesare, Hernando Alberto, Neumark Daniel M, Ovcharenko Yevheniy, Piseri Paolo, Plekan Oksana, Prince Kevin C, Richter Robert, Ziemkiewicz Michael, Möller Thomas, Eloranta Jussi, Pí Martí, Barranco Manuel, Stienkemeier Frank
Nature Communications 11, 112 (2020)
doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-13681-6
Last Updated on Thursday, 30 July 2020 11:42