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Updated: May 23, 2026
06:26
Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets
Published on: May 15, 2017
Evidence for a Peierls phase-transition in a three-dimensional multiple charge-density waves solid.
Barbara Mansart1, Mathieu J G Cottet, Thomas J Penfold
1Laboratory for Ultrafast Microscopy and Electron Scattering, Institute of Condensed-Matter Physics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
Summary
Researchers photoinduced melting of charge ordering in a 3D solid, observing that charge-density waves persist until lattice distortion. This study identifies the Peierls origin of multiple charge-density waves in 3D systems.
Area of Science:
- Condensed matter physics
- Materials science
- Solid-state physics
Background:
- Dimensionality significantly impacts material properties, as seen with graphene.
- Charge ordering phenomena, like Peierls transitions and charge-density waves, occur in materials due to electron interactions and crystal structure.
- Microscopic descriptions of phase transitions in higher dimensions are often debated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the melting of charge ordering in a complex 3D solid.
- To monitor charge redistribution following photoexcitation.
- To identify the fundamental mechanism behind multiple charge-density waves in 3D systems.
Main Methods:
- Photoinducing the melting of charge ordering using ultrashort laser pulses.
- Probing optical response over a broad spectral range to monitor charge redistribution.
- Performing ab initio electronic structure calculations.
Main Results:
- Charge-density waves were preserved even when photoinduced electronic temperatures exceeded critical values.
- The charge-density wave persisted until significant lattice distortion occurred, triggering the phase transition.
- The Peierls origin of multiple charge-density waves in a 3D system was identified for the first time.
Conclusions:
- Lattice distortion plays a crucial role in the phase transition of charge-ordered 3D materials.
- The study provides the first microscopic identification of the Peierls mechanism for multiple charge-density waves in a 3D solid.
- This research advances the understanding of fundamental phase transitions in condensed matter physics.
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