  We study the incoherent recombination of topological defects created during a
rapid quench of a charge-density-wave system through the electronic ordering
transition. Using a specially devised 3-pulse femtosecond optical spectroscopy
technique we follow the evolution of the order parameter over a wide range of
timescales. By careful consideration of thermal processes we can clearly
identify intrinsic topological defect annihilation processes on a timescale ~30
ps and find a signature of extrinsic defect-dominated relaxation dynamics is
found to occurring on longer timescales.
