Time-resolved quantum beats in the fluorescence of helium resonantly excited by XUV radiation

Abstract

Abstract We report on the observation of time-resolved quantum beats in the helium fluorescence from the transition 1s3p → 1s2s, where the initial state is excited by XUV free electron laser radiation. The quantum beats originate from the Zeeman splitting of the magnetic substates due to an external magnetic field. We perform a systematic study of this effect and discuss the possibilities of studying this phenomenon in the XUV and x-ray regime.