Related papers: A Hidden Quantum Paraelectric Phase in SrTiO3 Indu…
"Hidden phases" are metastable collective states of matter that are typically not accessible on equilibrium phase diagrams. These phases can host exotic properties in otherwise conventional materials and hence may enable novel functionality…
Direct manipulation of the atomic lattice using intense long-wavelength laser pulses has become a viable approach to create new states of matter in complex materials. Conventionally, a high frequency vibrational mode is driven resonantly by…
Recent experiments have demonstrated that light can induce a transition from the quantum paraelectric to the ferroelectric phase of SrTiO$_3$. Here, we investigate this terahertz field-induced ferroelectric phase transition by solving the…
We demonstrate how the quantum paraelectric ground state of SrTiO$_3$ can be accessed via a microscopic $ab~initio$ approach based on density functional theory. At low temperature the quantum fluctuations are strong enough to stabilize the…
Understanding surface collective dynamics in quantum materials is crucial for advancing quantum technologies. For example, surface phonon modes in quantum paraelectrics are thought to play an essential role in facilitating interfacial…
Many functionally relevant ferroic phenomena in quantum materials can be manipulated by driving the lattice coherently with optical and terahertz pulses. New physical phenomena and non-equilibrium phases that have no equilibrium counterpart…
Ultrafast coherent control of electric dipoles using strong terahertz (THz) pulses provides a means to discover hidden phases of materials and potentially leads to applications in high-speed electro-optic devices. The effectiveness of this…
We use ultrafast x-ray pulses to characterize the lattice response of SrTiO3 when driven by strong terahertz (THz) fields. We observe transient changes in the diffraction intensity with a delayed onset with respect to the driving field.…
Terahertz (THz) frequency range holds immense potential for high-speed data processing and signal manipulation. However, a fundamental challenge remains: the efficient and tunable control of THz electromagnetic fields. One promising…
The symmetry breaking induced by the ferroelectric transition often triggers the emergence of topological electronic states such as Weyl fermions in ferroelectric-like metals/semimetals. Such strong coupling between the lattice deformation…
Light-induced ferroelectricity in quantum paraelectrics is a new avenue of achieving dynamic stabilization of hidden orders in quantum materials. In this work, we explore the possibility of driving transient ferroelectric phase in the…
Intense terahertz (THz) pulses induce transient inversion-symmetry breaking in quantum paraelectric SrTiO$_3$, yet the underlying mechanism remains controversial. Using fields up to $\sim$1.1 MV/cm, we reveal spatially inhomogeneous…
Ultrafast spectroscopy paved the way for probing transient states of matter produced through photoexcitation. Despite significant advances, the microscopic processes governing the formation of these states remain largely unknown. This study…
Driven quantum materials with on demand properties controlled by external stimuli are critical for emergent quantum technology. In optically tunable superconducting heterostructures, the lattice responses at the buried interface may hold…
Structural phase transitions drive several unconventional phenomena including some illustrious ferroic attributes which are relevant for technological advancements. With this note, we have investigated the structural transition of…
The dynamical processes associated with electric field manipulation of the polarization in a ferroelectric remain largely unknown but fundamentally determine the speed and functionality of ferroelectric materials and devices. Here we apply…
EuTiO_3 is shown to exhibit novel strong spin-charge-lattice coupling deep in the paramagnetic phase. Its existence is evidenced by an, until now, unknown response of the paramagnetic susceptibility at temperatures exceeding the structural…
Intense, few-cycle pulses in the terahertz frequency range have strong potential for schemes of control over vibrational modes in solid-state materials in the electronic ground-state. Here we report an experiment using single cycle…
Similar to other perovskites in its family, $\mathrm{SrTiO_{3}}$ exhibits a significant softening of the ferroelectric mode with decreasing temperature, a behavior that typically heralds the onset of a ferroelectric transition. However,…
A comparative analysis of the structural phase transitions of EuTiO3 and SrTiO3 (at TS = 282 and 105 K, respectively) is made on the basis of phonon-dispersion and density functional calculations. The phase transition of EuTiO3 is predicted…