Stacking, correlations and electronic dispersion in the photoexcited state of 1T-TaS₂

Here we perform angle and time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy on the commensurate Charge Density Wave phase of 1T-TaS2. Data with different probe pulse polarization are employed to map the dispersion of electronic states below or above the chemical potential. The experimental results are compared to Density-Functional Theory calculations with a self-consistent evaluation of the coulomb repulsion. Both out-of-plane dimerization and electronic correlations must be included in order to obtain good agreement with the experimental data. Upon Photoexcitation, the fluctuations of CDW order erase the band dispersion near to the chemical potential and halve the charge gap size. This transient phase sets within half a period of the coherent lattice motion and is likely favored by strong electronic correlations