Exciton condensation driving the periodic lattice distortion of 1T-TiSe2

Phys Rev Lett. 2011 Mar 11;106(10):106404. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.106404. Epub 2011 Mar 11.

Abstract

We address the lattice deformation of 1T-TiSe2 within the exciton condensate phase. We show that, at low temperature, condensed excitons influence the lattice through electron-phonon interaction. It is found that at zero temperature, in the exciton condensate phase of 1T-TiSe2, this exciton condensate exerts a force on the lattice generating ionic displacements comparable in amplitude to what is measured in experiment. This is thus the first quantitative estimation of the amplitude of the periodic lattice distortion observed in 1T-TiSe2 as a consequence of the exciton condensate phase.