Phys.org July 25, 2022
Nonequilibrium hidden states provide a unique window into thermally inaccessible regimes of strong coupling between microscopic degrees of freedom in quantum materials. However, mapping the ultrafast formation of a long-lived hidden phase remains a longstanding challenge since the initial state is not recovered rapidly. Using state-of-the-art single-shot spectroscopy techniques, a team of researchers in the US (MIT, Harvard University, UT Austin) has realized a direct ultrafast visualization of the photoinduced phase transition to both transient and long-lived hidden states in an electronic crystal, 1T-TaS2, and demonstrated a commonality in their microscopic pathways, driven by the collapse of charge order. They presented a theory of fluctuation-dominated process that helps explain the nature of the metastable state. The results shed light on the origin of this elusive state and pave the way for the discovery of other exotic phases of matter…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Schematic illustration of dual-echelon single-shot optical reflectivity and THz transmission spectroscopy. Credit: SCIENCE ADVANCES, 22 Jul 2022, Vol 8, Issue 29Â