Journal Article

PUBDB-2025-03906

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Ultrafast decoupling of polarization and strain in ferroelectric BaTiO$_3$

Hoang, L. P. ; Pesquera, D. ; Hinsley, G. N. ; Carley, R. ; Mercadier, L. ; Teichmann, M. ; Unterleutner, E. M. ; Knez, D. ; Dienstleder, M. ; Ganguly, S. ; Asmara, T. C. ; Merzoni, G. ; Parchenko, S.XFEL.EU*DESY* ; Schlappa, J. ; Yin, Z.Extern*XFEL.EU*DESY* ; Caicedo Roque, J. M. ; Santiso, J. ; Spasojevic, I. ; Carinan, C. ; Lee, T.-L. ; Rossnagel, K.DESY* ; Zegenhagen, J. ; Catalan, G. ; Vartanyants, I. A.Extern*XFEL.EU*DESY* ; Scherz, A. ; Mercurio, G. (Corresponding author)Extern*XFEL.EU*

2025
Springer Nature [London]

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Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1038/s41467-025-63045-6  doi:10.3204/PUBDB-2025-03906

Abstract: A fundamental understanding of the interplay between lattice structure, polarization and electrons is pivotal to the optical control of ferroelectrics. The interaction between light and matter enables the remote and wireless control of the ferroelectric polarization on the picosecond timescale, while inducing strain, i.e., lattice deformation. At equilibrium, the ferroelectric polarization is proportional to the strain, and is typically assumed to be so also out of equilibrium. Decoupling the polarization from the strain would remove the constraint of sample design and provide an effective knob to manipulate the polarization by light. Here, upon above-bandgap laser excitation of the prototypical ferroelectric BaTiO$_3$, we induce and measure an ultrafast decoupling between polarization and strain that begins within 350 fs, by softening Ti-O bonds via charge transfer, and lasts for several tens of picoseconds. We show that the ferroelectric polarization out of equilibrium is mainly determined by photoexcited electrons, instead of the strain.

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. FS-SXQM (FS-SXQM)
2. SCS (XFEL_E2_SCS)

Research Program(s):

1. 632 - Materials – Quantum, Complex and Functional Materials (POF4-632) (POF4-632)
2. DFG project G:(GEPRIS)460248799 - DAPHNE4NFDI - DAten aus PHoton- und Neutronen Experimenten für NFDI (460248799) (460248799)
3. DFG project G:(GEPRIS)444821420 - Elastische Kontrolle von konkurrierenden Ordnungen in korrelierten Quantenmaterialien (B03) (444821420) (444821420)
4. 05K22VK1 - Parabolische geschachtelte Spiegeloptik für thermische Neutronen am Dreiachsenspektrometer PUMA (BMBF-05K22VK1) (BMBF-05K22VK1)

Experiment(s):

1. Measurement at external facility

Appears in the scientific report 2025

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