Topological materials are of great interest because they can support metallic states that are robust against perturbations, with the potential for technological applications. Here we experimentally explore the light-induced non-equilibrium properties of two distinct topological phases in NaCd4As3: a topological crystalline insulator (TCI) and a topological insulator (TI) phase. This material has surface states that are protected by mirror symmetry in the TCI phase at room temperature, while it undergoes a structural phase transition to a TI phase below 200 K. After exciting the TI phase by an ultrafast laser pulse, we observe a chemical potential shift >150 meV, that slowly builds up and maximizes after ~0.6 ps, and that persists for ~8 ps. The slow rise time of the excited electron population and electron temperature suggests that the electronic and structural orders are strongly coupled in this TI phase. It also suggests that the excited electronic states immediately and ~0.6 ps after excitation belong to different orbitals, likely due to partial relaxation of the lattice distortion that is known to be associated with the TI phase. In contrast, no distinct excited state is observed in the TCI phase after photoexcitation, which we attribute to the low density of states and phase space available near the Fermi level. Our results show how ultrafast excitation can probe the excited states and interactions within phase rich topological materials.
BT - Submitted N2 -Topological materials are of great interest because they can support metallic states that are robust against perturbations, with the potential for technological applications. Here we experimentally explore the light-induced non-equilibrium properties of two distinct topological phases in NaCd4As3: a topological crystalline insulator (TCI) and a topological insulator (TI) phase. This material has surface states that are protected by mirror symmetry in the TCI phase at room temperature, while it undergoes a structural phase transition to a TI phase below 200 K. After exciting the TI phase by an ultrafast laser pulse, we observe a chemical potential shift >150 meV, that slowly builds up and maximizes after ~0.6 ps, and that persists for ~8 ps. The slow rise time of the excited electron population and electron temperature suggests that the electronic and structural orders are strongly coupled in this TI phase. It also suggests that the excited electronic states immediately and ~0.6 ps after excitation belong to different orbitals, likely due to partial relaxation of the lattice distortion that is known to be associated with the TI phase. In contrast, no distinct excited state is observed in the TCI phase after photoexcitation, which we attribute to the low density of states and phase space available near the Fermi level. Our results show how ultrafast excitation can probe the excited states and interactions within phase rich topological materials.
PY - 2024 T2 - Submitted TI - Non-equilibrium States and Interactions in the Topological Insulator and Topological Crystalline Insulator Phases of NaCd4As3 UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2407.19404 ER -