Probing Lifshitz Shift and Topological Phase Transition of MoTe2 with Photoemission in Momentum and Real Space

We investigate the temperature-dependent Lifshitz transition and topological phase transition of MoTe₂ by using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) in momentum space and time-resolved photoelectron emission microscopy (tr-PEEM) in real space. With high-resolution temperature-dependent ARPES measurement, we directly observe the Lifshitz transition above 130 K, characterized by a reconstruction of the Fermi surface topology. The transition originates from an upward shift of the Fermi level and renormalization of the electronic bands. Above 250 K, the topological surface states disappear, providing direct band-structure evidence of the T_d–1T′ topological phase transition. The tr-PEEM measurements reveal enhanced carrier scattering in the T_d phase, associated with band gap closure and the presence of Weyl points. Furthermore, we interpret the temperature-dependent changes in photoelectron energy distributions in terms of the band structure evolution across the topological transition. Our study offers fundamental insights into temperature-induced phase transitions in MoTe₂, revealing the evolution of band topology.