Stable optical response during electron–phonon equilibration in laser-excited gold

We study the optical response of solid gold driven by ultrashort pulses of visible light by tracking the conduction band density and damping rates. While we find rapid changes in optical properties during and shortly after the laser excitation, we obtain an almost unchanged reflectivity during the stage of electron–phonon temperature equilibration. These predictions are in good agreement with experimental data and exhibit a strong compensation of damping mechanisms as a source for the stable response, although electron and ion temperatures change significantly. Considering the complex interplay of damping processes in solid gold, our model gives a more fundamental interpretation of optical measurements than existing approaches.