Evidence for a dense electron‐hole plasma close to the melting phase transition in silicon

We have studied both theoretically and experimentally the dynamics of laser‐induced electron‐hole plasmas created at the surface of silicon using the strong synergy observed during simultaneous illumination by two picosecond pulses of different wavelengths. In a range of intensities up to those capable of producing a phase transition, we find good agreement between the results of our experiments and the predictions of a conventional model for pulsed laser heating.