Ultrafast Electron Dynamics in Gold in the Presence of Laser Excited Surface Plasma Waves

Surface plasmon excitation with ultrashort intense laser pulses enhances efficiently laser absorption in metals and creates local high fields and non-equilibrium hot electrons population that have attractivity for numerous applications such as the development of intense sources of high-energy particles or photons and in the fast ignitor scheme in the framework of inertial fusion. In this context, the knowledge of the dynamics of relaxation of the collective electrons behavior is of importance. Using gold grating, we have investigated electrons relaxation in the presence of laser excited surface plasmon waves using a multiple-wavelengh femtosecond pump-probe technique. The results yield evidence of longer relaxation time in the presence of the collective excitation than that of individual electronic states.