Phys.org July 7, 2020
Topologically protected Weyl semimetal phase in the transition metal dichalcogenide Td-WTe2 can be controlled and, ultimately, destroyed upon the coherent excitation of an interlayer shear mode. An international team of researchers (Germany, China) provide direct experimental evidence that the shear mode acts on the electronic states near the phase-defining Weyl points. They observed a periodic reduction in the spin splitting of bands. Comparison with higher-frequency coherent phonon modes finally proved the shear mode-selectivity of the observed changes in the electronic structure. findings reveal direct experimental insights into electronic processes that are of vital importance for a coherent phonon-induced topological phase transition in Td-WTe2…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Crystal and electronic structure of Td-WTe2. Credit: Nature Communications, volume 11, Article number: 2613 (2020)