# Phase-ordering of charge density waves traced by ultrafast low-energy electron diffraction Source: [Phase-ordering of charge density waves traced by ultrafast low-energy electron diffraction]() Collection index: [llms.txt]() Data updated: 2025-10-25T01:16:02.753Z Authors: S. Vogelgesang, G. Storeck, S. Schramm, K. Rossnagel, S. Sch\\"afer, C. Ropers (1 and 2) \_\_INSTITUTION\_6\_\_ IV. Physical Institute - Solids, Nanostructures, University of G\\"ottingen, Germany, (2) International Center for Advanced Studies of Energy Conversion \_\_INSTITUTION\_8\_\_, University of G\\"ottingen, Germany, (3) Institute for Experimental, Applied Physics, University of Kiel, Germany) Published: 2017-03-30T17:41:04.000Z ## Abstract We introduce ultrafast low-energy electron diffraction (ULEED) in backscattering for the study of structural dynamics at surfaces. Using a tip-based source of ultrashort electron pulses, we investigate the optically-driven transition between charge-density wave phases at the surface of 1T-TaS2. The large transfer width of the instrument allows us to employ spot-profile analysis, resolving the phase-ordering kinetics in the nascent incommensurate charge-density wave phase. We observe a coarsening that follows a power-law scaling of the correlation length, driven by the annihilation of dislocation-type topological defects of the charge-ordered lattice. Our work opens up the study of a wide class of structural transitions and ordering phenomena at surfaces and in low-dimensional systems. ## Recorded benchmark results A research result applies to its stated dataset, split, metric and evaluation configuration. Compare like-for-like settings, preserve the metric's unit and direction, and distinguish paper-reported results from independent reproduction. The best result recorded here is not a claim of exhaustive, current global coverage. ## Original sources and implementation [Original paper]() [PDF]()