Controlling structural deformations in WTe2 using THz pulses

ORAL

Abstract

Tungsten ditelluride is a layered transition-metal dichalcogenide that crystalizes in a distorted hexagonal net with an orthorhombic unit cell. The lack of inversion symmetry in this phase leads to a predicted new topological semimetal hosting the so-called type-II Weyl points. Here, we use intense THz pulses to trigger a structural deformation in WTe2, and probe its dynamics using an ultrafast electron diffraction (UED) technique. We observe large amplitude interlayer shear oscillations that occur along the in-plane motion between the orthorhombic and monoclinic phases of the material. We will discuss the driving mechanism that can lead to such structural deformation and its implication toward ultrafast THz field control over the topological properties in solids.

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Presenters

  • Edbert Jarvis Sie

    Stanford University, Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford Univ

Authors

  • Edbert Jarvis Sie

    Stanford University, Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford Univ

  • Clara Nyby

    Stanford University, Chemistry, Stanford University

  • Suji Park

    Stanford University

  • Matthias Hoffmann

    SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

  • Benjamin Ofori-Okai

    SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

  • Stephen Weathersby

    SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

  • Nathan Finney

    Columbia University

  • Daniel Rhodes

    Columbia Univ, Physics, Columbia Univ, Columbia University, Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University

  • Renkai Li

    SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

  • Jie Yang

    SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

  • Xiaozhe Shen

    SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, SLAC - Natl Accelerator Lab

  • James Hone

    Columbia University

  • Luis Balicas

    Natl High Magnetic Field Lab, Nat. High Magn. Field Lab., Florida State University, FSU-NHMFL, National High Magnetic Field Lab, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Natl. High Magnetic Field Lab, Florida State University, High Field Magnet Lab, 1800 E. Paul Dirac Drive, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Natl High Magnetic Field Lab

  • Tony Heinz

    Ginzton Lab, Stanford University, Stanford Univ, Applied Physics, Stanford University

  • Xijie Wang

    SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, SLAC - Natl Accelerator Lab

  • Aaron Lindenberg

    Stanford University