Ultra-Fast Opacity in Transparent Dielectrics Induced by Picosecond Bursts of Laser-Driven Ions

Direct investigation of ion-induced dynamics on picosecond (ps, 10-12 s) timescales has been precluded to date by the relatively long nanosecond (ns, 10-9 s) scale ion pulses typically provided by radiofrequency accelerators. By contrast, laser-driven ion accelerators provide bursts of ps duration. Here, we show that these bursts provide a platform suitable for the temporally resolved study of ultra-fast, ion-induced transients in transparent media. Applying this to borosilicate glass, the induced electron-hole plasma, observed as an onset of opacity to optical probe radiation, is characterised by the few-ps ion pump rise-time With observed decay time scales of 10’s to 100’s of picoseconds this is in excellent agreement with modelling revealing the evolving electron temperature and number density.