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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261125T164500
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20261125T164500
UID:20618@agenda.unifr.ch
DESCRIPTION:Ultrafast laser pulses offer exciting opportunities to manipulate the properties of materials by driving electrons and atoms out of equilibrium. When light excites a solid, electrons respond almost immediately, while atoms move on slower timescales. Yet, these two processes are closely connected: electronic excitations can drive atomic motion, and lattice vibrations can, in turn, strongly influence electronic behavior. Understanding this interplay at the microscopic level is essential for achieving selective control of material properties with light.\nIn this talk, I will introduce the fundamental physics of coupled electron–lattice dynamics and discuss how these processes can be investigated using first-principles simulations that follow electrons and atoms in real time. I will first explore how electronic excitations interact with local lattice distortions, giving rise to polarons, and demonstrate how laser-induced coherent phonons can dramatically accelerate their transport. I will then turn to the complementary question of how photoexcited electrons can control collective atomic motion. Using the layered Weyl semimetal MoTe₂ as an example, I will show how the redistribution of excited electrons modifies the forces acting on the lattice, allowing the direction of interlayer sliding to be controlled by the excitation strength.\nTogether, these examples illustrate how microscopic electron–lattice interactions govern ultrafast material responses and provide a pathway toward selective optical control of electronic properties and structural dynamics.
SUMMARY:Understanding and Controlling Electron–Lattice Dynamics with Light
CATEGORIES:Colloque / Congrès / Forum
LOCATION:PER 08\, 0.51\, Chemin du Musée 3\, 1700 Fribourg
URL;VALUE=URI:https://agenda.unifr.ch/e/fr/20618
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