Speaker
Prof.
Andrea Cavalleri
(MPI for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter)
Description
In this talk I will discuss how the nonlinear optical excitation of lattice vibrations [1] can be used to create new crystal structures [2] and to induce new properties in some complex solids with strongly correlated electrons. Specifically, I will discuss how in some cases one can control the specific bonds lengths and angles, change the electronic bandwidth and induce insulator-metal phase switching [3]. I will also discuss new experiments in which different modes are mixed nonlinearly, creating unconventional states in which the lattice is made to rotate and time-reversal invariance can be broken. Finally, I will reflect on the possibility of dynamically modulating the electronic properties and on the possibility of inducing incipient superconductivity at temperatures above the thermodynamic transition temperature [4,5,6].
[1] M. Först et al., Nature Physics 7, 854 (2011)
[2] R. Mankowsky et al., Nature 516, 71 (2014)
[3] M. Rini et al., Nature 449, 72 (2007)
[4] D. Fausti et al., Science 331, 6014 (2011)
[5] W. Hu et al., Nature Materials 13, 705 (2014)
[6] M. Mitrano et al., Nature 530, 461 (2016)
