Non-equilibrium solid-to-plasma transition dynamics using XANES diagnostic

The advent of femtosecond lasers has shed new light on non-equilibrium high energy density physics. The ultrafast energy absorption by electrons and the finite rate of their energy transfer to the lattice creates non-equilibrium states of matter, triggering a new class of non-thermal processes from the ambient solid up to extreme conditions of temperature and pressure, referred as the warm dense matter regime. The dynamical interplay between electron and atomic structures is the key issue that drives the ultrafast phase transitions dynamics. Bond weakening or bond hardening are predicted, but strongly depends on the material considered. Many studies have been conducted but this physics is still poorly understood. The experimental tools used up-to-now have provided an incomplete insight. Pure optical techniques measure only indirectly atomic motion through changes in the dielectric function whereas X-ray or electron diffraction only probes the average long-range order. This review is dedicated to recent developments in time-resolved X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy, which is expected to give a more complete picture by probing simultaneously the modifications of the near-continuum electron and local atomic structures. Results are reported for three different types of metals (simple, transition and noble metals) in which a confrontation has been carried out between measurements and ab initio simulations.