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arXiv · 1109.5546

Mechanisms of nonthermal destruction of the superconducting state and melting of the charge-density-wave state by femtosecond laser pulses

L. Stojchevska·P. Kusar·T. Mertelj·V. V. Kabanov·Y. Toda·X. Yao·D. Mihailovic
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Abstract

The processes leading to nonthermal condensate vaporization and charge-density wave (CDW) melting with femtosecond laser pulses is systematically investigated in different materials. We find that vaporization is relatively slow (tau_v ~ 1 ps) and inefficient in superconductors, exhibiting a strong systematic dependence of the vaporization energy Uv on Tc. In contrast, melting of CDW order proceeds rapidly (tau_m = 50 ~ 200 fs) and more efficiently. A quantitative model describing the observed systematic behavior in superconductors is proposed based on a phonon-mediated quasi-particle (QP) bottleneck mechanism. In contrast, Fermi surface disruption by hot QPs is proposed to be responsible for CDW state melting.

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L. Stojchevska, P. Kusar, T. Mertelj, V. V. Kabanov, Y. Toda, X. Yao, D. Mihailovic. 2011-09-26. Mechanisms of nonthermal destruction of the superconducting state and melting of the charge-density-wave state by femtosecond laser pulses. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.84.180507

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