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

We analyze the experiment by Hultgren et al. [Phys. Rev. A 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 noncoherent background contribution for each species, and indicates the need for a full density-matrix treatment of the problem.