Nonequilibrium phonon tuning and mapping in few-layer graphene with infrared nanoscopy

Electron-phonon interactions are fundamentally important physical processes responsible for many key discoveries in condensed matter physics and material sciences. Herein, by exploiting the scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscope (s-SNOM) excited with a femtosecond infrared (IR) laser, we explored the strong coupling between IR phonons in few-layer graphene (FLG) with ultrahot electrons, which are heated up by the intense laser field enhanced by the s-SNOM tip. More specifically, we found that the intensity of the phonon resonance can be tuned systematically by varying the laser power that controls the electron temperature. Furthermore, the high spatial resolution of s-SNOM allows us to map the local phonon characteristics at sharp boundaries and nanostructures. Our findings offer insights into the intriguing physics behind the electron-phonon interactions in nonequilibrium conditions and open a pathway for manipulating phonons with optical means.

Automated summary

The electron-phonon interactions in few-layer graphene were studied using a femtosecond infrared laser-excited s-SNOM, revealing a strong coupling between IR phonons and ultra-hot electrons. The intensity of phonon resonance was found to be tunable by varying laser power, controlling electron temperature. High spatial resolution of s-SNOM enabled mapping of local phonon characteristics at sharp boundaries and nanostructures.