Coherent Dirac plasmons in topological insulators

Abstract

We explore the ultrafast reflectivity response from photo-generated coupled phonon-surface Dirac plasmons in Sb$_2$Te$_3$ topological insulators several quintuple layers thick. The transient coherent phonon spectra obtained at different time frames exhibit a Fano-like asymmetric line shape of the $A^2_{1g}$ mode, which is attributed to quantum interference between continuum-like coherent Dirac-plasmons and phonons. By analyzing the time-dependent asymmetric line shape using the two-temperature model (TTM), it was determined that a Fano-like resonance persisted up to $\approx$1 ps after photo-excitation with a relaxation profile dominated by Gaussian decay at $\leq$200 fs. The asymmetry parameter could be well described by the TTM for $\geq$200 fs, therefore suggesting the coherence time of the Dirac plasmon is $\approx$200 fs.