Direct Evidence for Robust Bulk Band Gap Across the Charge Density Wave Transition in TiSe2

Abstract

The mechanism driving the charge density wave (CDW) transition in TiSe2 has been debated for decades, with proposals ranging from an excitonic insulator to a lattice-driven instability. A central question remains whether the transition involves an opening or enhancement of the bulk band gap. Using high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we directly track the temperature evolution of the bulk band edges across the CDW transition at TCDW = 200 K. Contrary to the expectation of a gap-opening transition, we find that the size of the fundamental band gap remains constant from the high-temperature normal phase down to 160 K. While the CDW induces clear band-folding signatures and spectral weight redistribution, the underlying band extrema are unperturbed. These results demonstrate that TiSe2 does not undergo a temperature-driven electronic gap opening. Instead, they support a scenario where the transition is governed by a lattice symmetry-breaking reconstruction that folds, but does not gap, the electronic structure of a pre-existing band insulator.