Unraveling Rabi Dynamics with a Seeded FEL at XUV Wavelength

Rabi oscillations, a prominent feature of coherent light-matter interaction arise when a two-level system interacts periodically with an external electromagnetic field [1]. Despite being a cornerstone in quantum physics, they are usually studied in the long-wavelength region, ranging from mid-infrared to visible. Here, we demonstrate that intense femtosecond extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) pulses from FERMI seeded free-electron laser [2] can drive Rabi oscillations between the two levels: 1s ² and 1s4p in helium.