Quantum theory of light-driven coherent lattice dynamics

Abstract

The exposure to intense electromagnetic radiation can induce distortions and symmetry breaking in the crystal structure of solids, providing a route for the all-optical control of their properties. In this manuscript, we formulate a unified theoretical approach to describe the coherent lattice dynamics in presence of external driving fields, electron-phonon and phonon-phonon interactions, and quantum nuclear effects. The main mechanisms for the excitation of coherent phonons - including infrared absorption, displacive excitation, inelastic stimulated Raman scattering, and ionic Raman scattering - can be seamlessly accounted for. We apply this formalism to a model consisting of two coupled phonon modes, where we illustrate the influence of quantum nuclei on structural distortions induced by ionic Raman scattering. Besides validating the widely-employed classical models for the coherent lattice dynamics, our work provides a versatile approach to methodically explore the emergence of quantum nuclear effects in the structural response of crystal lattice to strong fields.

15 pages, 6 figures

References in corpus (14)

• Distribution of phonon lifetime in Brillouin zone
• Nonlinear lattice dynamics as a basis for enhanced superconductivity in YBa2Cu3O6.5
• Nonthermal pathways to ultrafast control in quantum materials
• Terahertz-Field-Induced Ferroelectricity in Quantum Paraelectric SrTiO${}_3$
• Metastable ferroelectricity in optically strained $SrTi{O}_3$
• Nuclear quantum effects in solids using a colored-noise thermostat
• The Stochastic Self-Consistent Harmonic Approximation: Calculating Vibrational Properties of Materials with Full Quantum and Anharmonic Effects
• Orbital magnetic moments of phonons
• Ultrafast Structure Switching through Nonlinear Phononics
• Toward precise simulations of the coupled ultrafast dynamics of electrons and atomic vibrations in materials
• Ultrafast dynamics of electrons and phonons: from the two-temperature model to the time-dependent Boltzmann equation
• Nonequilibrium Lattice Dynamics in Monolayer MoS2
• Direct view of phonon dynamics in atomically thin MoS${}_2$
• Progress and Challenges in Ab Initio Simulations of Quantum Nuclei in Weakly Bonded Systems

Cited by in corpus (5)

• Large photo-induced tuning of ferroelectricity in sliding ferroelectrics
• Revealing Ultrafast Phonon Mediated Inter-Valley Scattering through Transient Absorption and High Harmonic Spectroscopies
• Coherent control of the translational and point group symmetries of crystals with light
• Ultrafast polarization switching in BaTiO${}_3$ by photoactivation of its ferroelectric and central modes
• Ab-initio Simulations of Coherent Phonon-Induced Pumping of Carriers in Zirconium Pentatelluride