Terahertz parametric amplification as a reporter of exciton condensate dynamics

Condensates are a hallmark of emergence in quantum materials such as superconductors and charge density waves. Excitonic insulators are an intriguing addition to this library, exhibiting spontaneous condensation of electron–hole pairs. However, condensate observables can be obscured through parasitic coupling to the lattice. Here we employ nonlinear terahertz spectroscopy to disentangle such obscurants through measurement of the quantum dynamics. We target Ta₂NiSe₅, a putative room-temperature excitonic insulator in which electron–lattice coupling dominates the structural transition (T_c = 326 K), hindering identification of excitonic correlations. A pronounced increase in the terahertz reflectivity manifests following photoexcitation and exhibits a Bose–Einstein condensation-like temperature dependence well below the T_c, suggesting an approach to monitor the exciton condensate dynamics. Nonetheless, dynamic condensate–phonon coupling remains as evidenced by peaks in the enhanced reflectivity spectrum at select infrared-active phonon frequencies, indicating that parametric reflectivity enhancement arises from phonon squeezing. Our results highlight that coherent dynamics can drive parametric stimulated emission.