Control of coherent optical phonons

Presentation Date: 

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Location: 

Research Seminar, Yale University (New Haven, CT)

Presentation Slides: 

Using time-resolved reflectometry we measure the dielectric function of tellurium following excitation with a femtosecond laser pulse. The dielectric function reveals the ultrafast dynamics of coherent phonons in Te. Oscillations in the bonding-antibonding splitting allow for THz modulation of a semiconductor-semimetal transition. Using two-pulse sequences, we can control the phonons, stabilizing the bandstructure in the semimetallic state.