Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource

Speaker: Roman Mankowsky, Max Planck Institute

Program Description

Mid-infrared optical pulses can dynamically modify the crystal lattice of solids by resonantly driving vibrational modes. This low-energy excitation has been used to drive insulator–metal transitions, melt electronic order and switch magnetism. Fascinatingly, a state strongly reminiscent of the equilibrium superconducting state can be induced in the high-Tc superconductor YBa₂Cu₃O_6.5 up to room temperature. We gain substantial understanding of this transient state by combining mid-infrared excitation with x-ray diffraction techniques at the LCLS.