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Dynamical Scaling Reveals Topological Defects and Anomalous Evolution of a Photoinduced Phase Transition

Gal Orenstein1,2,*, Ryan A. Duncan1,2, Gilberto A. de la Peña Muñoz1,2, Yijing Huang1,2, Viktor Krapivin1,2, Quynh Le Nguyen3, Samuel Teitelbaum4, Anisha G. Singh5, Roman Mankowsky6 et al.

Henrik Lemke6, Mathias Sander6, Yunpei Deng6, Christopher Arrell6, Ian R. Fisher5, David A. Reis1,2, and Mariano Trigo1,2,†

  • *Contact author: galore@slac.stanford.edu
  • †Contact author: mtrigo@slac.stanford.edu
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Phys. Rev. X 15, 031058 – Published 28 August, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/w9v5-rwjr

Abstract

Nonequilibrium states of quantum materials can exhibit exotic properties and enable unprecedented functionality and applications. These transient states are inherently inhomogeneous, characterized by the formation of topologically protected structures, requiring nanometer spatial resolution on femtosecond timescales to resolve their evolution. Using ultrafast total x-ray scattering at a free electron laser and a sophisticated scaling analysis, we gain unique access to the dynamics on the relevant mesoscopic length scales. Our results provide direct evidence that ultrafast excitation of LaTe3 leads to formation of topological vortex strings of the charge density wave. These dislocations of the charge density wave exhibit anomalous, subdiffusive dynamics, slowing the equilibration process, providing rare insight into the nonequilibrium mesoscopic response in a quantum material. Our findings establish a general framework to investigate properties of topological defects, which are expected to be ubiquitous in nonequilibrium phase transitions and may arrest equilibration and enhance competing orders.

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Popular Summary

Controlling quantum materials with light can reveal new, exotic states of matter far from equilibrium, but understanding how these states evolve is difficult. The process unfolds in tiny, rapidly changing patterns that few experimental techniques can resolve. In our study, we use ultrafast x-ray scattering with a hard x-ray free electron laser to watch this evolution in real time. We focus on how a charge density wave—an ordered pattern of electrons—changes after being excited with light, and we discover that its dynamics are shaped by the constrained motion of topological defects.

We investigate the material LaTe3, which hosts an incommensurate charge density wave. Using femtosecond x-ray pulses, we monitor changes in the superlattice peak—a signature of the wave—after photoexcitation. By analyzing how the scattering profile evolves, we uncover a surprisingly slow growth in the system’s characteristic length scale, consistent with subdiffusion. Thanks to our exceptionally high momentum resolution, we also resolve the detailed shape of the scattering peak, which reveals power-law scaling. This scaling points directly to the emergence of vortex strings—linelike topological defects that limit how fast the system can relax.

Our results suggest that light-driven quantum materials can temporarily act like glasses. These transient states are difficult to probe because they evolve so quickly and involve nanoscale structures. By combining ultrafast x-ray scattering with careful scaling analysis, we provide a new framework for studying the mesoscale dynamics of quantum materials.

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Phys. Rev. X 15, 031058– Published 28 August, 2025
  • Received 24 June 2024
  • Revised 23 May 2025
  • Accepted 28 July 2025
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