Fresh insights into materials exhibiting quantum properties

The Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) Central Laser Facility (CLF) celebrates the publication of the first paper from its newly upgraded Artemis Lab space.

The study used short light pulses at the 1 kHz Artemis beamline to study the quantum material, tantalum diselenide (1T-TaSe).₂) to visualize the movement of electrons and ions within materials in real time, providing valuable insights into their complex behaviours.

This discovery highlights the role of crystal lattices in driving and stabilizing phase transitions in quantum materials. This understanding can lead to the design of materials with unique electronic properties and is made possible by the advanced capabilities of the Artemis lab space.

Artemis, which forms part of the Harwell Research Complex (RCaH) at STFC Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire, is a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to studying the ultrafast motion of electrons in molecules and novel materials. Opened in late 2021, it has yielded important insights into the behavior of charge density wave (CDW) transitions in quantum materials.

Quantum materials, which exhibit unique properties, have been the subject of intense research in condensed matter physics.

To understand the fundamental interactions that take place within these materials, STFC Artemis’ lab space offers cutting-edge capabilities, including ultrafast laser sources, XUV beamlines, and terminals for molecular dynamics, condensed matter physics, and imaging. The facility is one of the few in the world capable of recording and capturing processes occurring in femtosecond timescales.

The results that Artemis can produce not only advance the development of innovative technologies, but also expand our fundamental understanding of the complex physics involved in the interactions between light and matter.

This latest research was led by Dr Enrico da Como of the University of Bath, in collaboration with Dr Charles James Sayers of the Polytechnic University of Milan, and Dr Ettore Carpini of the Institute of Photonics and Nanotechnologies of the Italian National Research Council (CNR).

The paper has been previously published Physical review letters.

Dr Charles James Sayers, Research Fellow in the Ultrafast Spectroscopy Group at the Polytechnic University of Milan, says, “Using ultrashort pulses of light on the order of femtoseconds, such as those available at the Artemis facility, allows us to visualize the movement of electrons and ions within materials in real time, enabling It provides insight into the important interactions that take place within these exotic materials.”

“One of the most important scientific questions regarding quantum materials is the origin of phase transitions to ordered states of matter,” says Dr. Ettore Carpin, a researcher at CNR’s Institute of Photonics and Nanotechnologies.

“We are very pleased to have the new Artemis lab ready, operational and produce the papers,” says Dr. Carlotte Sanders, Chief Experimental Scientist at STFC’s Central Laser Facility. Not only are we enjoying the benefits of our new lab space, but through the new HiLUX upgrades for the next four years, our users can expect even more potential In the near future, it is a very exciting time.

“It was great to work with colleagues at the University of Bath, Politecnico di Milano, and CNR-IFN on this interesting project. We look forward to even more outstanding science with them and the rest of our user community in the future.”