Photoinduced phase heterogeneity and charge localization in SnSe

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Dringoli, Benjamin J., Mocatti, Stefano, Marini, Giovanni, Luo, Zhongzhen, Calandra, Matteo, Kanatzidis, Mercouri G., Cooke, David G.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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_version_ 1866910121695641600
author Dringoli, Benjamin J.
Mocatti, Stefano
Marini, Giovanni
Luo, Zhongzhen
Calandra, Matteo
Kanatzidis, Mercouri G.
Cooke, David G.
author_facet Dringoli, Benjamin J.
Mocatti, Stefano
Marini, Giovanni
Luo, Zhongzhen
Calandra, Matteo
Kanatzidis, Mercouri G.
Cooke, David G.
contents Time-resolved multi-terahertz (THz) spectroscopy is used to observe pump fluence-dependent dynamics in the optical conductivity of photoexcited tin selenide (SnSe) over an ultrabroadband spectral range of 0.5 - 11 THz at fluences from 0.1 - 7.5 mJ/cm$^2$. A free carrier Drude spectrum is observed at pump fluences below 3 mJ/cm$^2$, with optical phonons well described by the equilibrium Pnma structural phase. With increasing fluence, a suppression of the DC photoconductivity is observed, indicating an interruption of long range transport due to phase disorder. Concomitantly, the optical phonons exhibit features that can no longer be explained by a pure Pnma phase, with a frequency shift and narrowing of the $B^2_{1u}$ mode and a new mode appearing at $\sim$3.0 THz consistent with a transition to a higher-symmetry structure. At an intermediate fluence of 3.1 mJ/cm$^2$, a high frequency Lorentzian component consistent with phase heterogeneity appears that rapidly redshifts after 2 ps and whose amplitude exponentially decays on a 90 ps time scale. Our experimental measurements and theoretical calculations provide evidence for a non-thermal, photo-induced nucleation of higher symmetry, semi-metallic phase domains in SnSe appearing within 200 fs.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2512_16669
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Photoinduced phase heterogeneity and charge localization in SnSe
Dringoli, Benjamin J.
Mocatti, Stefano
Marini, Giovanni
Luo, Zhongzhen
Calandra, Matteo
Kanatzidis, Mercouri G.
Cooke, David G.
Materials Science
Time-resolved multi-terahertz (THz) spectroscopy is used to observe pump fluence-dependent dynamics in the optical conductivity of photoexcited tin selenide (SnSe) over an ultrabroadband spectral range of 0.5 - 11 THz at fluences from 0.1 - 7.5 mJ/cm$^2$. A free carrier Drude spectrum is observed at pump fluences below 3 mJ/cm$^2$, with optical phonons well described by the equilibrium Pnma structural phase. With increasing fluence, a suppression of the DC photoconductivity is observed, indicating an interruption of long range transport due to phase disorder. Concomitantly, the optical phonons exhibit features that can no longer be explained by a pure Pnma phase, with a frequency shift and narrowing of the $B^2_{1u}$ mode and a new mode appearing at $\sim$3.0 THz consistent with a transition to a higher-symmetry structure. At an intermediate fluence of 3.1 mJ/cm$^2$, a high frequency Lorentzian component consistent with phase heterogeneity appears that rapidly redshifts after 2 ps and whose amplitude exponentially decays on a 90 ps time scale. Our experimental measurements and theoretical calculations provide evidence for a non-thermal, photo-induced nucleation of higher symmetry, semi-metallic phase domains in SnSe appearing within 200 fs.
title Photoinduced phase heterogeneity and charge localization in SnSe
topic Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.16669