Transient field-resolved spectroscopy enables studies of ultrafast dynamics in molecules, nanostructures, or solids with sub-cycle resolution, but previous work has so far concentrated on extracting the dielectric response at frequencies below 50 THz. Here, we implemented transient field-resolved reflectometry at 50–100 THz (3–6 µm) with MHz repetition rate employing 800 nm few-cycle excitation pulses that provide sub-10 fs temporal resolution. The capabilities of the technique are demonstrated in studies of ultrafast photorefractive changes in semiconductors Ge and GaAs, where the high frequency range permits to explore the resonance-free Drude response. The extended frequency range in transient field-resolved spectroscopy can further enable studies with so far inaccessible transitions, including intramolecular vibrations in a large range of systems.

Transient field-resolved spectroscopy enables studies of excited charge carrier dynamics in solids with sub-cycle resolution. Field-resolved spectroscopy of solids has been limited to frequencies below 50 THz. Here, we demonstrate transient field-resolved reflectometry at 50-150 THz (2-6 µm) with MHz repetition rate employing 800 nm 8 fs excitation pulses. Our setup provides 5 orders of magnitude in dynamic range and sub-10 fs temporal resolution. The capabilities of the technique are demonstrated with experiments on ultrafast photorefractive changes in the semiconductors Ge and GaAs.