Ultrafast Structure Switching through Nonlinear Phononics

Abstract

We describe an ultrafast coherent control of the transient structural distortion arising from nonlinear phononics in ErFeO${}_3$. Using density functional theory, we calculate the structural properties as input to an anharmonic phonon model that describes the response of the system to a pulsed optical excitation. We find that the trilinear coupling of two orthogonal infrared-active phonons to a Raman-active phonon causes a transient distortion of the lattice. The direction of the distortion is determined by the polarization of the exciting light, suggesting a route to nonlinear phononic lattice control and switching. Since the occurrence of the coupling is determined by the symmetry of the system we propose that it is a universal feature of orthorhombic and tetragonal perovskites.

References in corpus (3)

• Nonlinear lattice dynamics as a basis for enhanced superconductivity in YBa2Cu3O6.5
• Coherent Modulation of the YBa2Cu3O6+x Atomic Structure by Displacive Stimulated Ionic Raman Scattering
• Effects of intense optical phonon pumping on the structure and electronic properties of yttrium barium copper oxide