Direct characterization of photo- and electrically-induced‌ “hidden” state switching of 1T-TaS2

S. Gerber1

1Laboratory for X-ray Nanoscience and Technologies, Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland

Brilliant, ultrashort, and coherent X-ray free-electron laser (FEL) pulses allow for investigation of dynamics at the inherent time and length scale of atoms. I will illustrate this capability at the example of recent time-resolved X-ray diffraction data taken in the “hidden” phase of the Van der Waals material 1T-TaS2, hinting that out-of-plane restacking suppresses the optically-induced hidden state. Furthermore, I will also present preliminary static micro-beam X-ray diffraction data of electrically switched 1T-TaS2 cryomemory cells which indicate that also from a structural point of view the photo- and electrically-induced “hidden” states are closely related.