Femtosecond solvation dynamics of indium dimers inside superfluid helium nanodroplets

Indium dimers (In₂) solvated inside helium nanodroplets are studied with femtosecond photoelectron and photoion spectroscopy. The solvation dynamics triggered by photoexcitation of the In₂ include expansion of the solvation shell and dopant ejection from the droplet, which both proceed more slowly than for In atoms. Oscillation of the solvation shell, in contrast, is similar to the case of In atoms. These processes are observed in combination with intrinsic dynamics of the molecule and set the time-frame for the dopant interaction with the quantum fluid environment.