Nanowerk July 7, 2018
An international team of researchers (USA – Argonne National Laboratory, Northwestern University, University of Illinois, Ireland) has shown an unusual slowing down of the recovery of an electronic phase across a first-order phase transition. Following optical excitation, the recovery time of both transient optical reflectivity and X-ray diffraction intensity from the charge-ordered superstructure in a La1/3Sr2/3FeO3 thin film increases by orders of magnitude as the sample temperature approaches the phase transition temperature. In this regime, the recovery time becomes much longer than the lattice cooling time. According to the researchers the abnormal behavior of electrons is likely a result of magnetic interactions. Such insights may reveal potentially useful properties related to magnetism, conductivity or even superconductivity… read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Electrons in some oxides can experience an “unconventional slowing down” of their response to a light pulse. (Image: Argonne National Laboratory)