Temperature Induced, Reversible Switching of Ferro-Rotational Order Coupled to Superlattice Commensuralibity

High-quality 1T-TaS2 crystals are investigated by angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and low-energy electron diffraction. The Ferro-Rotational Order (FRO) of the charge density wave switches configuration at the transition between the commensurate and the nearly commensurate phase. This process requires samples without built-in or externally induced strain. Moreover, temperature gradients generated by a focused laser beam can be employed in order to freeze the in-plane chirality. Based on such observations, we propose a protocol to obtain durable and nonvolatile state switching of the FRO configuration in bulk 1T-TaS2 crystals.