Impulsive excitation of a solid by extreme contrast, high-intensity femtosecond laser pulses

Physical Review Research 2026 Open access

Read full text
Authors: Sagar Dam, J. F. Ong, Sk Rakeeb, Ameya Parab, Aparajit C, Anandam, Amit D. Lad, Yash M. Ved, M. Krishnamurthy, Kazuo A TANAKA, G. Ravindra Kumar
DOI: 10.1103/dtc5-ftnd
Cited by: 1
References: 45

Abstract

We present the ultrafast dynamics of the interaction between a high-intensity extreme contrast (expected to be around ∼ 10 − 18 at hundreds of picoseconds timescale) femtosecond laser and a solid. Simultaneous measurements of probe Doppler spectrometry and reflectivity in pump-probe experiments reveal the presence of extreme pressure in the solid density region, which triggers a long-lived ( ∼ 15 ps) strong inward shock. Hydrodynamic simulations accurately replicate these observations, providing a detailed explanation of the underlying physics.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Laser Material Processing Techniques Laser-Matter Interactions and Applications Laser-Plasma Interactions and Diagnostics

Publication details

Journal / source
Physical Review Research
Publisher
American Physical Society (APS)
Volume
8
Issue
2
Publication date
31 January 2026
Language
EN