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  • Open Access

Kondo Echo Dynamics of Terahertz-Pumped Heavy Fermions

Francisco Meirinhos1, Michael Turaev1,*, Michael Kajan1, Tim Bode2, and Johann Kroha1,3,†

  • 1Physikalisches Institut and Bethe Center for Theoretical Physics, Universität Bonn, Nussallee 12, 53115 Bonn, Germany
  • 2Institute for Quantum Computing Analytics (PGI-12), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
  • 3School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St. Andrews, KY16 9SS, United Kingdom

  • *Contact author: mturaev@uni-bonn.de
  • †Contact author: jkroha@uni-bonn.de
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 136, 216502 – Published 26 May, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/ycfy-kbxj

Abstract

We provide a theoretical framework to describe the nonequilibrium temporal dynamics of correlated electron systems for realistic system parameters and the consequent, often exponentially long timescales. It is based on an entirely integrodifferential formulation of time-dependent dynamical mean-field theory, the noncrossing approximation, and the quantum representation of a driving electromagnetic field. For heavy-fermion systems, we identify two key nonequilibrium mechanisms governing their time evolution after a single-cycle terahertz excitation: transient, instantaneous shift from the Kondo toward the mixed-valence regime by an enhanced, photo-assisted hybridization, and slow recovery of the heavy-fermion state due to the long Kondo coherence time. This explains recent time-resolved terahertz spectroscopy experiments microscopically and establishes the latter as a technique for direct experimental access to the Kondo coherence time and to the heavy-fermion quasiparticle weight, central for the classification of heavy-fermion quantum phase transitions.

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 136, 216502– Published 26 May, 2026
  • Received 9 September 2025
  • Accepted 27 April 2026
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Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article’s title, journal citation, and DOI.

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