Ultrafast nano-imaging of the order parameter in a structural phase transition

Abstract

Understanding microscopic processes in materials and devices that can be switched by light requires experimental access to dynamics on nanometer length and femtosecond time scales. Here, we introduce ultrafast dark-field electron microscopy, tailored to map the order parameter across a structural phase transition. We track the evolution of charge-density wave domains in 1T-TaS2 after ultrashort laser excitation, elucidating relaxation pathways and domain wall dynamics. The unique benefits of selective contrast enhancement will inspire future beam shaping technology in ultrafast transmission electron microscopy.

arXiv commentMain text, supplementary materials, and five movies

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Cited by in corpus (30)

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• Photo-induced nonequilibrium states in Mott insulators
• A kiloelectron-volt ultrafast electron micro-diffraction apparatus using low emittance semiconductor photocathodes
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• Coexisting phases of individual VO${}_2$ nanoparticles for multilevel nanoscale memory
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• Temporal characterization of femtosecond electron pulses inside ultrafast scanning electron microscope
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• Evidence for bootstrap percolation dynamics in a photo-induced phase transition
• Ultrafast Electron Diffraction: Visualizing Dynamic States of Matter
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• Photoelectron emission via time and phase-tailored electromagnetic fields
• Correlative Ultrafast Imaging of a Propagating Photo-Driven Phase Transition Using 4D STEM