Strain-induced enhancement of the charge-density-wave in the kagome metal ScV₆Sn₆

The kagome geometry is an example of frustrated configuration in which rich physics takes place, including the emergence of superconductivity and charge density wave (CDW). Among the kagome metals, ScV₆Sn₆ hosts an unconventional CDW, with its electronic order showing a different periodicity than that of the phonon which generates it. In this material, a CDW-softened flat phonon band has a second-order collapse at the same time that the first order transition occurs. This phonon band originates from the out-of-plane vibrations of the Sc and Sn atoms, and it is at the base of the electron-phonon-coupling driven CDW phase of ScV₆Sn₆. Here, we use uniaxial strain to tune the frequency of the flat phonon band, tracking the strain evolution via time-resolved optical spectroscopy and first-principles calculations. Our findings emphasize the capability to induce an enhancement of the unconventional CDW properties in ScV₆Sn₆ kagome metal through control of strain.