Enhanced charge density wave coherence in a light-quenched, high-temperature superconductor

S. Wandel; F. Boschini; E. H. da Silva Neto; L. Shen; M. X. Na; S. Zohar; Y. Wang; S. B. Welch; M. H. Seaberg; J. D. Koralek; G. L. Dakovski; W. Hettel; M-F. Lin; S. P. Moeller; W. F. Schlotter; A. H. Reid; M. P. Minitti; T. Boyle; F. He; R. Sutarto; R. Liang; D. Bonn; W. Hardy; R. A. Kaindl; D. G. Hawthorn; J. -S. Lee; A. F. Kemper; A. Damascelli; C. Giannetti; J. J. Turner; G. Coslovich

doi:10.1126/science.abd7213

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arXiv · 2003.04224

Enhanced charge density wave coherence in a light-quenched, high-temperature superconductor

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Abstract

Superconductivity and charge density waves (CDW) are competitive, yet coexisting orders in cuprate superconductors. To understand their microscopic interdependence, a probe capable of discerning their interaction on its natural length and time scales is necessary. We use ultrafast resonant soft x-ray scattering to track the transient evolution of CDW correlations in YBa$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{6+x}$ following the quench of superconductivity by an infrared laser pulse. We observe a non-thermal response of the CDW order characterized by a near doubling of the correlation length within $\approx$ 1 picosecond of the superconducting quench. Our results are consistent with a model in which the interaction between superconductivity and CDW manifests inhomogeneously through disruption of spatial coherence, with superconductivity playing the dominant role in stabilizing CDW topological defects, such as discommensurations.

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S. Wandel, F. Boschini, E. H. da Silva Neto, L. Shen, M. X. Na, S. Zohar, Y. Wang, S. B. Welch, M. H. Seaberg, J. D. Koralek, G. L. Dakovski, W. Hettel, M-F. Lin, S. P. Moeller, W. F. Schlotter, A. H. Reid, M. P. Minitti, T. Boyle, F. He, R. Sutarto, R. Liang, D. Bonn, W. Hardy, R. A. Kaindl, D. G. Hawthorn, J. -S. Lee, A. F. Kemper, A. Damascelli, C. Giannetti, J. J. Turner, G. Coslovich. 2020-03-09. Enhanced charge density wave coherence in a light-quenched, high-temperature superconductor. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abd7213

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