Search for the Photo-Induced Hidden Phase in Inorganic and Organic Systems

We review the dynamical behavior of strongly electron-lattice (orbital) coupled system induced by photo-excitation of fs laser pulse. By virtue of the femtosecond (fs) spectroscopy and picosecond (ps) time-resolved X-ray diffraction measurements, we demonstrate that the photo-irradiation creates new ordered state so called as "hidden phase" which can never be realized under thermo-equilibrium condition. This exotic phase commonly plays the key role for realizing the gigantic photo-induced changes in optical properties of inorganic and organic electron-lattice strongly coupled systems.