DOE OSTI · 3024232
Isostructural electronic transition in MoS 2 probed by solid-state high-harmonic generation spectroscopy
Abstract
Studying materials under extreme pressure in diamond anvil cells (DACs) is key to discovering emergent states of matter, yet no method currently allows the direct measurement of the electronic structure in this environment. Solid-state high-harmonic generation (sHHG) offers a unique all-optical window into the electronic structure of materials. We demonstrate sHHG spectroscopy inside a DAC by probing 2H-MoS 2 , up to 30 GPa, revealing a pressure-induced crossover of the lowest direct bandgap from the K-point to the Γ-point. This transition manifests as a sharp minimum in harmonic intensity and a 30° rotation of the sHHG polarization anisotropy, despite the absence of a structural phase change. First-principles simulations attribute these features to interference between competing excitation pathways at distinct points in the Brillouin zone. Our results establish sHHG as a sensitive probe of electronic transitions at high pressure, enabling access to quantum phenomena that evade detection by conventional techniques.
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Nebgen, Bailey R. [University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000310067092), Lee, Victor Chang [Yale University, New Haven, CT (United States)] (ORCID:0000000317676229), Spies, Jacob A. [University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000201484823), Sterbentz, Randy M. [University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV (United States)] (ORCID:0000000254640383), Schwartz, Craig P. [University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV (United States)], Smith, Dean [University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV (United States); Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). High Pressure Collaborative Access Team (HPCAT)] (ORCID:000000015491747X), Qiu, Diana Y. [Yale University, New Haven, CT (United States)] (ORCID:0000000330676987), Zuerch, Michael W. [University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000151512119). 2026-03-18. Isostructural electronic transition in MoS 2 probed by solid-state high-harmonic generation spectroscopy. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adz5621
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