Work

Multi-mode excitation drives disorder during the ultrafast melting of a C4-symmetry-broken phase

Year: 2022

Type: article

Abstract: Spontaneous C4-symmetry breaking phases are ubiquitous in layered quantum materials, and often compete with other phases such as superconductivity. Preferential suppression of the symmetry broken phases by light has been used to explain non-equilibrium light induced superconductivity, metallicity, and the creation of metastable states. Key to understanding how these phases emerge is understanding how C4 symmetry is restored. A leading approach is based on time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau theory, which explains the coherence response seen in many systems. However, we show that, for the case of the single layered manganite La0.5Sr1.5MnO4, the theory fails. Instead, we find an ultrafast inhomogeneous disordering transition in which the mean-field order parameter no longer reflects the atomic-scale state of the system. Our results suggest that disorder may be common to light-induced phase transitions, and methods beyond the mean-field are necessary for understanding and manipulating photoinduced phases.

Source: Nature Communications

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27819-y

Authors: Daniel Perez-Salinas, Allan S. Johnson, Dharmalingam Prabhakaran, Simon Wall

Institutions: Institute of Photonic Sciences, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, University of Oxford, Aarhus University

Language: English

Topic: Magnetic and transport properties of perovskites and related materials

Subfield: Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $5,890