Ultrafast photoinduced insulator-metal transition in epitaxial samarium nickelate thin films investigated by time-resolved terahertz spectroscopy

Abstract

We investigate the ultrafast dynamic behavior of photoinduced insulator-metal phase transition in an epitaxially grown $\mathrm{SmNi}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ thin film by using time-resolved terahertz (THz) spectroscopy at different excitation fluences. It is found that the relaxation of the photoexcited carriers is characterized by two components with different time scales: (i) an ultrafast one with time constant varying between 0.3 ps (at 4.4 $\mathrm{mJ}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$) and 0.35 ps (at 0.88 $\mathrm{mJ}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$) and (ii) a slow one with a time constant varying between 1.7 ps (at 2 $\mathrm{mJ}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$) and 4.7 ps (at 0.88 $\mathrm{mJ}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$). These relaxation times could be primarily attributed to the coexistence of conducting and insulating charge-ordering domains. The observed behavior of the transient THz conductivity of $\mathrm{SmNi}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ thin film is well fitted by the Drude-Smith model, revealing that insulating domains emerge between the metallic domains, which in turn increase the carrier confinement during the relaxation process. Furthermore, the ultrafast dynamic behavior at different temperatures suggests that the insulating gap shrinks gradually between the Ni $3d$ and O $2p$ states as the temperature applied to the film increases. Our experimental findings pave the way to scientific opportunities and to technological applications of epitaxially grown $\mathrm{SmNi}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ thin film such as ultrafast optical switching and modulation devices.