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Phonon-assisted Formation of Spin Density Wave Order in Cr Thin Film

ORAL

Abstract

Electronic instabilities drive ordering transitions in condensed matter. Despite many advances in sophisticated microscopic models of the ordered state, a more nuanced, yet profound, question often remains unanswered: How do collective excitations influence the formation of electronic order? Using time-resolved free electron X-ray diffraction technique, we monitor the laser-induced quench and subsequent recovery of a spin density wave (SDW) in a 28 nm thick Cr film. In this talk, we will discuss how the formation of SDW in antiferromagnetic Cr thin film after its quench by a femtosecond (fs) laser is influenced by an acoustic phonon launched by the laser. Our results demonstrate how a coherent ionic lattice vibration markedly modifies the out-of-equilibrium pathway in energy diagram of an electronic phase transformation, highlighting the opportunity for using collective excitations for guiding electronic instabilities.

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Presenters

  • Jiaruo Li

    Materials Science and Engineering Department, Cornell University

Authors

  • Jiaruo Li

    Materials Science and Engineering Department, Cornell University

  • Oleg Gorobtsov

    Materials Science and Engineering Department, Cornell University, Cornell University

  • Sheena Kusum Kishor Patel

    University of California, San Diego, Center for Memory and Recording Research, University of California, San Diego

  • Nelson Hua

    University of California, San Diego, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

  • Benjamin Gregory

    Materials Science and Engineering Department, Cornell University, Department of Physics, Cornell University

  • Anatoly Shabalin

    University of California, San Diego, Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego

  • Rajasekhar Medapalli

    Center for Memory and Recording Research, University of California, San Diego

  • Stjepan B Hrkac

    Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego

  • Jim Wingert

    Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego

  • Devin Cela

    Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego

  • James M Glownia

    SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

  • Matthieu Chollet

    SLAC national laboratory, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

  • Diling Zhu

    SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

  • Eric Fullerton

    University of California, San Diego, Center for Memory and Recording Research, University of California, San Diego, CMRR, University of California, San Diego

  • Oleg Shpyrko

    University of California, San Diego, Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego

  • Andrej Singer

    Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Materials Science and Engineering Department, Cornell University, Cornell University