Coherent Structural Dynamics and Electronic Correlations during an Ultrafast Insulator-to-Metal Phase Transition in VO2

C. Kübler, H. Ehrke, R. Huber, R. Lopez, A. Halabica, R. F. Haglund, Jr., and A. Leitenstorfer
Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 116401 – Published 13 September 2007

Abstract

We directly trace the multi-THz conductivity of VO2 during an insulator-metal transition triggered by a 12-fs light pulse. The femtosecond dynamics of lattice and electronic degrees of freedom are spectrally discriminated. A coherent wave packet motion of V-V dimers at 6 THz modulates the lattice polarizability for approximately 1 ps. In contrast, the electronic conductivity settles to a constant value already after one V-V oscillation cycle. Based on our findings, we propose a qualitative model for the nonthermal phase transition.

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  • Received 14 November 2006

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.99.116401

©2007 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

C. Kübler1, H. Ehrke1, R. Huber1,*, R. Lopez2,3, A. Halabica2, R. F. Haglund, Jr.2, and A. Leitenstorfer1

  • 1Department of Physics and Center for Applied Photonics, University of Konstanz, D-78457 Konstanz, Germany
  • 2Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA
  • 3Department of Physics and Astronomy and Institute of Advanced Materials, Nanoscience and Technology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA

  • *Corresponding author. rupert.huber@uni-konstanz.de

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Issue

Vol. 99, Iss. 11 — 14 September 2007

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