Ultrafast Measurement of the Optical Properties of Shocked Nickel and Laser Heated Gold

Abstract

We have used high‐resolution Frequency Domain Interferometry (FDI) to make the first ultrafast measurement of shock‐induced changes in the optical properties of thin nickel (∼500 nm) targets. Data taken at several angles of incidence allowed the separation of optical effects from material motion, yielding an effective complex index for the shocked material. In contrast to our previous studies of aluminum, measurements with an 800 nm probe wavelength found a phase shift attributable to optical property changes with the same sign as that due to surface motion, during an 11.5 GPa shock breakout. A similar experiment was attempted with thin gold films (∼180 nm) using Ultrafast Spatial Interferometry (USI). However, since the electron‐phonon coupling in gold is extremely weak, a shock is observed as it “forms”. Ballistic electrons and electron‐electron equilibrium cause fast heating of the electrons in the entire thickness of the thin film, followed by lattice excitation through electron‐phonon coupling, eventually leading to melt and frustrated thermal expansion yielding the observed surface motion. We suggest that these experiments offer a new path for observation of phase changes or for temperature measurements, by allowing a determination of the complex index under dynamic loading conditions and comparing the measured values to those obtained under static conditions.