Femtosecond Rotational Dynamics of D2 Molecules in Superfluid Helium Nanodroplets

Rotational dynamics of D_{2} molecules inside helium nanodroplets is induced by a moderately intense femtosecond pump pulse and measured as a function of time by recording the yield of HeD^{+} ions, created through strong-field dissociative ionization with a delayed femtosecond probe pulse. The yield oscillates with a period of 185 fs, reflecting field-free rotational wave packet dynamics, and the oscillation persists for more than 500 periods. Within the experimental uncertainty, the rotational constant B_{He} of the in-droplet D_{2} molecule, determined by Fourier analysis, is the same as B_{gas} for an isolated D_{2} molecule. Our observations show that the D_{2} molecules inside helium nanodroplets essentially rotate as free D_{2} molecules.