Incoherent topological defect recombination dynamics in TbTe₃

T. Mertelj, P. Kusar, V. V. Kabanov, P. Giraldo-Gallo, I. R. Fisher, and D. Mihailovic

Accepted Friday Mar 8, 2013

We study the incoherent recombination of topological defects created during a rapid quench of a charge-density-wave system through the electronic ordering transition. Using a specially devised 3-pulse femtosecond optical spectroscopy technique we follow the evolution of the order parameter over a wide range of timescales. By careful consideration of thermal processes we can clearly identify intrinsic topological defect annihilation processes on a timescale ~ 30 ps and find a possible signature of extrinsic defect-dominated relaxation dynamics occurring on longer timescales.