Transient electronic structure of the photoinduced phase of $\mathrm{Pr_{0.7} Ca _{0.3} MnO_3}$ probed with soft x-ray pulses

We use time-resolved x-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy to investigate the electronic dynamics associated with the photoinduced insulator-to-metal phase transition in the colossal magnetoresistive manganite Pr0.7Ca0.3MnO3. Absorption changes at the O K and Mn L edges directly monitor the evolution of the density of unoccupied states in the transient photoinduced phase. We show that the electronic structure of the photoinduced phase is remarkably similar to that of the ferromagnetic metallic phase reached in related manganites upon cooling below the Curie temperatur