Single-shot ultrafast laser induced electronic band structure modification in TaTe₂

Single-shot laser-induced phenomena have recently attracted attention in the ultrafast science community leading to new research frontiers. Such phenomena have been reported in charge density wave materials, excitonic insulator candidates and magnetic materials, featuring a orders of magnitude resistivity modification following the single-shot excitations. New material candidates exhibiting this phenomenon are highly sought out; In this talk, we introduce TaTe₂ as such a new candidate. Our experiments were conducted through the Advanced Light Source at Berkeley National Lab. A laser-integrated nano-ARPES was used to measure equilibrium band structure and the photoinduced modification triggered by a single-shot excitation in cleaved bulk TaTe₂. Our results show that a single-shot ultrafast pulse induces energy-momentum dependent modifications on the spectral weights of the TaTe₂ band structure. Such modifications were largely driven solely by the first pulse and were not cumulative with additional pulses. Further results show that the single-shot laser-induced effects were distinct from the laser-damaged cases. We hope our observation in TaTe₂ provides a foothold for the community to continue the scientific exploration in the growing area of single-shot driven phenomena.