Ultrafast photoinduced melting of orbital order in LaVO3

Abstract

The photoinduced effect on the orbital-ordered phase in perovskite-type LaVO3 has been investigated by femtosecond time-resolved reflection spectroscopy. Large reflectivity change has been observed immediately after photoirradiation. The spectral shape and polarization dependence of the reflectivity change indicate the melting of the orbital order induced by photoexcitation. The photocarriers annihilate in about 200 fs, and the orbital order partially recovers owing to thermalization with the lattice in 2–4 ps. © 2003 The American Physical Society.