APS » Journals » Phys. Rev. Lett. » Accepted Papers » Photoinduced metal-insulator phase transition in the charge-ordered organic salts (BEDT-TTF)$_{3}X_{2}$ ($X$ = ReO$_{4}$, ClO$_{4}$) is stabilized by lattice distortions

Photoinduced metal-insulator phase transition in the charge-ordered organic salts (BEDT-TTF)3X2 (X = ReO4, ClO4) is stabilized by lattice distortions

Accepted

Photo-induced effects caused by intramolecular excitation were investigated by simultaneous optical and transport measurement in two charge-ordered (CO) organic salts, (BEDT-TTF)3X2 (X = ReO4, ClO4) [BEDT-TTF = bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene]. Although the two salts have the same molecular (average) charge and arrangement, they showed different photo-induced effects. Photo-induced insulator-to-metal phase transition (PIMT) with a metastable CO-melting state was observed in the ReO4 salt where the CO state is associated with the lattice distortion. On the other hand, no PIMT was noted in the ClO4 salt where the CO state is not accompanied by the lattice distortion. This comparative study suggested that the lattice distortion plays a key role in the stabilization of the photo-induced phase.