Short-pulse laser excitation of quartz: experiments and modelling of transient optical properties and ablation

Time-resolved optical studies using spectral interferometry and reflectance measurements of ultrafast laser excitation of quartz have been performed and combined with subsequent atomic force microscopy imaging of the laser-formed holes. A comprehensive investigation of these transient properties of the dielectric has been analysed in view of a single theoretical model describing the laser–material interaction in a multirate equation model including light propagation. Simulations demonstrate that self-trapped excitons in quartz significantly change the optical properties immediately after excitation.