Optical Manipulation of the Charge Density Wave state in RbV3Sb5

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Xing, Yuqing, Bae, Seokjin, Ritz, Ethan, Yang, Fan, Birol, Turan, Salinas, Andrea N. Capa, Ortiz, Brenden R., Wilson, Stephen D., Wang, Ziqiang, Fernandes, Rafael M., Madhavan, Vidya
Format: Preprint
Published: 2023
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author Xing, Yuqing
Bae, Seokjin
Ritz, Ethan
Yang, Fan
Birol, Turan
Salinas, Andrea N. Capa
Ortiz, Brenden R.
Wilson, Stephen D.
Wang, Ziqiang
Fernandes, Rafael M.
Madhavan, Vidya
author_facet Xing, Yuqing
Bae, Seokjin
Ritz, Ethan
Yang, Fan
Birol, Turan
Salinas, Andrea N. Capa
Ortiz, Brenden R.
Wilson, Stephen D.
Wang, Ziqiang
Fernandes, Rafael M.
Madhavan, Vidya
contents Broken time-reversal symmetry in the absence of spin order indicates the presence of unusual phases such as orbital magnetism and loop currents. The recently discovered family of kagome superconductors AV$_3$Sb$_5$ (A = K, Rb, or Cs), hosting an exotic charge-density wave (CDW) state, has emerged as a strong candidate for this phase. While initial experiments suggested that the CDW phase breaks time-reversal symmetry, this idea is being intensely debated due to conflicting experimental data. In this work we use laser-coupled scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to study RbV$_3$Sb$_5$. STM data shows that the Fourier intensities of all three CDW peaks are different, implying that the CDW breaks rotational and mirror symmetries. By applying linearly polarized light along high-symmetry directions, we show that the relative intensities of the CDW peaks can be reversibly switched, implying a substantial electro-striction response, indicative of strong non-linear electron-phonon coupling. A similar CDW intensity switching is observed with perpendicular magnetic fields, which implies an unusual piezo-magnetic response that, in turn, requires time-reversal symmetry-breaking. We show that the simplest CDW that satisfies these constraints and reconciles previous seemingly contradictory experimental data is an out-of-phase combination of bond charge order and loop currents that we dub congruent CDW flux phase. Our laser-STM data opens the door to the possibility of dynamic optical control of complex quantum phenomenon in correlated materials.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2308_04128
institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Optical Manipulation of the Charge Density Wave state in RbV3Sb5
Xing, Yuqing
Bae, Seokjin
Ritz, Ethan
Yang, Fan
Birol, Turan
Salinas, Andrea N. Capa
Ortiz, Brenden R.
Wilson, Stephen D.
Wang, Ziqiang
Fernandes, Rafael M.
Madhavan, Vidya
Strongly Correlated Electrons
Broken time-reversal symmetry in the absence of spin order indicates the presence of unusual phases such as orbital magnetism and loop currents. The recently discovered family of kagome superconductors AV$_3$Sb$_5$ (A = K, Rb, or Cs), hosting an exotic charge-density wave (CDW) state, has emerged as a strong candidate for this phase. While initial experiments suggested that the CDW phase breaks time-reversal symmetry, this idea is being intensely debated due to conflicting experimental data. In this work we use laser-coupled scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to study RbV$_3$Sb$_5$. STM data shows that the Fourier intensities of all three CDW peaks are different, implying that the CDW breaks rotational and mirror symmetries. By applying linearly polarized light along high-symmetry directions, we show that the relative intensities of the CDW peaks can be reversibly switched, implying a substantial electro-striction response, indicative of strong non-linear electron-phonon coupling. A similar CDW intensity switching is observed with perpendicular magnetic fields, which implies an unusual piezo-magnetic response that, in turn, requires time-reversal symmetry-breaking. We show that the simplest CDW that satisfies these constraints and reconciles previous seemingly contradictory experimental data is an out-of-phase combination of bond charge order and loop currents that we dub congruent CDW flux phase. Our laser-STM data opens the door to the possibility of dynamic optical control of complex quantum phenomenon in correlated materials.
title Optical Manipulation of the Charge Density Wave state in RbV3Sb5
topic Strongly Correlated Electrons
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2308.04128