Photoinduced interlayer dynamics in T d-MoTe2: A broadband pump-probe study

Abstract

We report on time-resolved broadband transient reflectivity (tr-bb-TR) measurements performed on a bulk single crystal of Td-MoTe2 as a function of the incident pump fluence (F). Tr-bb-TR data unveil photoinduced electronic changes progressing on the sub-picosecond timescale as well as the dynamics of the coherent low-frequency 1A1 interlayer shear phonon. Our results indicate a gradual evolution of both the TR and the 1A1 Fourier intensity spectra as a function of F, ruling out the threshold-like change that has been associated with the ultrafast photoinduced Td → 1T ′ phase transition. We also observe a large redshift of the 1A1 Fourier spectral features, which implies that large renormalization effects are taking place on the interband transitions that are dielectrically susceptible to the 1A1 interlayer shear phonon displacement.