Nonvolatile optical switching of surface metallicity in 1T-TaSe2
Researchers developed a reversible method to optically switch 1T-TaSe2 between a Mott insulating state and a metallic state using ultrafast laser pulses. This transition is driven by rearranging interlayer Charge Density Wave (CDW) stacking, which reduces electron repulsion relative to bandwidth. The study proves that controlling surface configuration via light allows for nonvolatile phase transitions, enabling the design of reconfigurable electronic devices.