Femtosecond studies of nonequilibrium electronic processes in metals

R. W. Schoenlein; W. Z. Lin; J. G. Fujimoto; G. L. Eesley

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.58.1680

Femtosecond studies of nonequilibrium electronic processes in metals

R. W. Schoenlein, W. Z. Lin, J. G. Fujimoto, and G. L. Eesley

Phys. Rev. Lett. 58, 1680 – Published 20 April 1987

Abstract

High-intensity femtosecond laser pulses are used to induce non- equilibrium electron heating in gold metal. The thermal relaxation of the electronic distribution is studied through pump and continuum probe measurements of transient reflectivity. Measurements are performed for different heating-pulse fluences and probe-photon energies. The observed reflectivity line shape demonstrates the generation of nonequilibrium electron temperatures which cool to the lattice on a 2–3 ps time scale.

Received 7 August 1986

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.58.1680

Authors & Affiliations

R. W. Schoenlein, W. Z. Lin, and J. G. Fujimoto

Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139

G. L. Eesley