Polarization density waves in SrTiO<sub>3</sub>
ORAL · Invited
Abstract
Exciting materials with ultrafast light pulses can create novel states of matter that are inaccessible under thermodynamic equilibrium. Recent studies on the quantum paraelectric SrTiO3 have demonstrated that intense single- and multi-cycle terahertz (THz) fields can transiently induce ferroelectricity (1–2), paving the way for ultrafast and reversible control of the material’s structure. These findings contrast sharply with equilibrium measurements, which reveal an incipient phase characterized by spatially modulated polarization at low temperatures (3–5). This discrepancy underscores the need for detailed microscopic structural information about the nonequilibrium ferroelectric state.
In this presentation, I will discuss results from experiments on quantum paraelectric SrTiO3, where we combined THz excitation with diffuse x-ray scattering to investigate collective excitations at nanometer length scales. Using a novel method to detect inversion symmetry breaking, we identified hybrid polar-acoustic vibrations that exhibit pronounced softening at length scales of tens of nanometers. This suggests a structural instability in SrTiO3 with spatially modulated polarization, distinct from the homogeneous ferroelectric state (5,6). Our findings (7) emphasize the importance of momentum-resolved fluctuation studies and provide new insights into the microscopic structure of transient phases.
References
[1] X. Li, T. Qiu, J. Zhang, E. Baldini, J. Lu, A. M. Rappe, and K. A. Nelson, Science 364, 1079 (2019).
[2] T. F. Nova, A. S. Disa, M. Fechner, and A. Cavalleri, Science 364, 1075 (2019).
[3] M. J. Coak, C. R. S. Haines, C. Liu, S. E. Rowley, G. G. Lonzarich, and S. S. Saxena, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 117, 12707 (2020).
[4] S. E. Rowley, L. J. Spalek, R. P. Smith, M. P. M. Dean, M. Itoh, J. F. Scott, G. G. Lonzarich, and S. S. Saxena, Nature Physics 10, 367 (2014).
[5] G. G. Guzmán-Verri, C. H. Liang, and P. B. Littlewood, Physical Review Letters 131, 046801 (2023).
[6] B. Fauqué, P. Bourges, A. Subedi, K. Behnia, B. Baptiste, B. Roessli, T. Fennell, S. Raymond, and P. Steffens, Physical Review B 106, L140301 (2022).
[7] G. Orenstein et al, https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.17203
In this presentation, I will discuss results from experiments on quantum paraelectric SrTiO3, where we combined THz excitation with diffuse x-ray scattering to investigate collective excitations at nanometer length scales. Using a novel method to detect inversion symmetry breaking, we identified hybrid polar-acoustic vibrations that exhibit pronounced softening at length scales of tens of nanometers. This suggests a structural instability in SrTiO3 with spatially modulated polarization, distinct from the homogeneous ferroelectric state (5,6). Our findings (7) emphasize the importance of momentum-resolved fluctuation studies and provide new insights into the microscopic structure of transient phases.
References
[1] X. Li, T. Qiu, J. Zhang, E. Baldini, J. Lu, A. M. Rappe, and K. A. Nelson, Science 364, 1079 (2019).
[2] T. F. Nova, A. S. Disa, M. Fechner, and A. Cavalleri, Science 364, 1075 (2019).
[3] M. J. Coak, C. R. S. Haines, C. Liu, S. E. Rowley, G. G. Lonzarich, and S. S. Saxena, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 117, 12707 (2020).
[4] S. E. Rowley, L. J. Spalek, R. P. Smith, M. P. M. Dean, M. Itoh, J. F. Scott, G. G. Lonzarich, and S. S. Saxena, Nature Physics 10, 367 (2014).
[5] G. G. Guzmán-Verri, C. H. Liang, and P. B. Littlewood, Physical Review Letters 131, 046801 (2023).
[6] B. Fauqué, P. Bourges, A. Subedi, K. Behnia, B. Baptiste, B. Roessli, T. Fennell, S. Raymond, and P. Steffens, Physical Review B 106, L140301 (2022).
[7] G. Orenstein et al, https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.17203
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Publication: G. Orenstein et al, https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.17203
Presenters
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Mariano Trigo
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, SLAC - Natl Accelerator Lab
Authors
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Mariano Trigo
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, SLAC - Natl Accelerator Lab