Structural involvement in the melting of the charge density wave in 1T-TiSe2

In this work, we use ultrafast pump-probe nonresonant and resonant x-ray diffraction to track the periodic lattice distortion and the electronic charge density wave in 1T-TiSe2 upon optical excitation. We observe a fluence regime in which the periodic lattice deformation is strongly suppressed but the charge density wave related Se 4p orbital order remains mostly intact. Complete melting of both structural and electronic order occurs four to five times faster than expected from a purely electronic charge-screening process, strongly suggesting a structurally assisted weakening of excitonic correlations. Our experimental data provide insight on the intricate coupling between structural and electronic order in stabilizing the periodic-lattice-distortion/charge-density-wave state in 1T-TiSe2. The results further show that electron-phonon coupling can lead to different, energy dependent phase-transition pathways in condensed matter systems, opening different possibilities in the conception of nonequilibrium phenomena at the ultrafast scale.

Automated summary

In 1T-TiSe2, under optical excitation, the periodic lattice deformation is strongly suppressed while the charge density wave related Se 4p orbital order remains mostly intact. The melting of both structural and electronic order occurs four to five times faster than expected, suggesting a structurally assisted weakening of excitonic correlations.