Density-wave-like gap evolution in La_3Ni_2O_7 under high pressure revealed by ultrafast optical spectroscopy

We explore the quasiparticle dynamics in bilayer nickelate La_3Ni_2O_7 crystal using ultrafast optical pump-probe spectroscopy at high pressure up to 34.2 GPa. At ambient pressure, the temperature dependence of relaxation indicates appearance of phonon bottleneck effect due to the opening of density-wave-like gap at 151 K. By analyzing the data with RT model, we identified the energy scale of the gap to be 70 meV at ambient pressure. The relaxation bottleneck effect is suppressed gradually by the pressure and disappears around 26 GPa. At high pressure above 29.4 GPa, we discover a new density-wave like order with transition temperature of ∼130 K. Our results not only provide the first experimental evidence of the density-wave like gap evolution under high pressure, but also offering insight into the underline interplay between the density wave order and superconductivity in pressured La_3Ni_2O_7.