Quantum interference spectroscopy of rubidium-helium exciplexes formed on helium nanodroplets

Femtosecond multiphoton pump-probe photoionization is applied to helium nanodroplets doped with rubidium (Rb). The yield of Rb+ ions features pronounced quantum interference (QI) fringes demonstrating the coherence of a superposition of electronic states on a time scale of tens of picoseconds. Furthermore, we observe QI in the yield of formed RbHe exciplex molecules. The quantum interferogram allows us to determine the vibrational structure of these unstable molecules. From a sliced Fourier analysis one cannot only extract the population dynamics of vibrational states but also follow their energetic evolution during the RbHe formation.