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While chiral spin structures stabilized by Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) are candidates as novel information carriers, their dynamics on the fs-ps timescale is little known [1-4]. Since with the bulk Heisenberg exchange and the interfacial DMI two distinct exchange mechanisms are at play, the ultra-fast dynamics of the chiral order needs to be ascertained and compared to the dynamics of the conventional collinear order. Using an XUV free-electron laser we determine the fs-ps temporal evolution of the chiral order in domain walls in a magnetic thin film sample by an IR pump - X-ray magnetic scattering probe experiment. Upon demagnetisation we observe that the dichroic (CL-CR) signal connected with the chiral order correlator mzmx in the domain walls recovers significantly faster than the (CL+CR) sum signal representing the average collinear domain magnetisation mz2+mx2 [5]. We explore possible explanations based on spin structure dynamics and reduced transversal magnetisation fluctuations inside the domain walls and find that the latter can explain the experimental data leading to distinctly different dynamics for collinear magnetic order and chiral magnetic order.References: [1] Beaurepaire, E. et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 76, 4250–4253 (1996). [2] Koopmans, B. et al., Nat. Mater. 9, 259–265 (2010). [3] Battiato, M. et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 027203 (2010). [4] Pfau, B. et al., Nat. Commun. 3, 1100 (2012). [5] Kerber N. et al., arXiv:2002.03971 (2020).

MMM 2020

Chiral versus collinear magnetic order dynamics: faster chiral recovery after optical excitation revealed by femtosecond XUV scattering

The 65th Annual Conference on Magnetism and Magnetic Materials (MMM 2020) was held in a virtual form. The COVID-19 pandemic, with its associated uncertainty about international travel and the ability to gather in large groups, meant that the Steering Committee decided to cancel the face-to-face meeting that had been planned in Palm Beach, Florida November 2-6, 2020.

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technical paper

The lifetime of magnetic excitations in metals is governed by scattering rates between magnons and electrons. Recent investigations [1, 2] document how magnetization dynamics vary with composition in magnetic metal alloys due to changes in their electronic band structures; e.g. Co0.25Fe0.75 thin-films display low magnetic damping (α ~ 10-4). In my talk, I will present experimental measurements of magnetic damping, ultrafast magnetization dynamics, and thermal transport properties of CoFe magnetic alloys, varying with alloy composition. To explore the magnetization dynamics, I use a time-resolved MOKE set-up to observe ultrafast demagnetization in a few hundred femtoseconds followed by precessional dynamics. Through TDTR measurements, I check if lower electron-magnon scattering rates lead to improved thermal transport. My investigation sheds light on how magnon-electron scattering rates govern dynamics on femtosecond (ultrafast demagnetization), nanosecond (magnetic precession and damping), and microsecond time-scales (thermal transport of energy). *This work was supported by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory and the U.S. Army Research Office under grant # W911NF-18-1-0364.References: [1] Qin, H. J., et al. Nature communications 6 (2015): 6126. [2] Schoen, Martin AW, et al. Nature Physics 12.9 (2016): 839.

Effects of CoFe Alloy Composition on Magnetization Dynamics and Magnetic Thermal Transport

Engineering of magnetic materials for developing better spintronic applications relies on the control of two key parameters: the spin polarization and the Gilbert damping responsible for the spin angular momentum dissipation. Both of them are expected to affect the ultrafast magnetization dynamics occurring on the femtosecond time scale. Here, we use engineered Co2MnAlxSi1-x Heusler compounds grown by molecular beam epitaxy to adjust the degree of spin polarization at the Fermi energy P and investigate how it correlates with the damping. We first demonstrate experimentally that substituting Si by Al in Co2MnAlxSi1-x Heusler compounds allows us to get a tunable spin polarization at EF from ~60% in Co2MnAl to 100% in Co2MnSi, indicating the transition from metallic to half metallic behaviors. Second, a strong correlation between the spin polarization and the Gilbert magnetic damping is established in these films. The damping decreases when increasing the spin polarization from 1.1 10-3 for Co2MnAl (with 63% spin polarization) to an ultra-low value of 4.10-4 for the half-metallic ferromagnet Co2MnSi [1]. This allows us investigating the relation between these two parameters and the ultrafast demagnetization time characterizing the loss of magnetization occurring after femtosecond laser pulse excitation. The demagnetization time is observed to be inversely proportional to 1-P and as a consequence to the magnetic damping, which can be attributed to the similarity of the spin angular momentum dissipation processes responsible for these two effects. Altogether, our high quality Heusler compounds allow controlling the band structure and therefore the channel for spin angular momentum dissipation [2].References: [1] C. Guillemard et al, Phys. Rev. Appl.. 11, 064009 (2019) [2], W. Zhang, C. Guillemard, et al, Advanced Materials, 1908357 (2020)

Engineering Co2MnAlxSi1-x Heusler compounds as a model system to correlate spin polarization, intrinsic Gilbert damping and ultrafast demagnetization

After the first observation of the ultrafast demagnetization process, a huge experimental and theoretical effort was devoted to reveal the microscopic mechanism governing the ultrafast optically induced loss of magnetic order in ferromagnetic materials. Almost all experimental fs-demagnetization studies so far employed fs light pulses of 1.55 eV to trigger the magnetization-dynamics. Hence, the role of the photon energy of the exciting light pulse has been largely neglected so far. Therefore, we have implemented an all-optical time-resolved MOKE setup with variable pump photon energy in the range of 1.55 to 3.10 eV. As prototypical system, we investigated the ultrafast demagnetization dynamics of thin Ni films on insulating and conducting substrates. The characteristic parameters of the demagnetization process, i.e., the demagnetization time for various excitation photon energies are compared with simulations applying a temperature-based model. These simulations consider the density of states of Nickel and interface effects to describe the non-equilibrium dynamics of the spin-carrying excited electrons. For metallic substrates, we further discuss the magnitude and timescale of the optically injected spin carriers across the magnetic/non-magnetic interface.References: M. Hofherr, et al., Physical Review B 96, 100403 (2017) U. Bierbrauer, et al., J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 29, 244002 (2017) B.Y. Mueller and B. Rethfeld, Phys. Rev. B 90, 144420 (2014)

Photon energy dependent fs-demagnetization dynamics of thin Nickel films

The observation of ultrafast manipulation and coherent control of spins in magnetic materials at room temperature [1-2] has prompted the intense experimental and theoretical efforts to understand the underlying microscopic mechanisms and relevant interactions (exchange, spin-lattice, electron-phonon, coulomb etc.) driving such magnetic phenomena at sub-picosecond timescales. Stoichiometric B2 ordered epitaxial (001) FeRh undergoes a first order magnetic phase transition from antiferromagnetic (AFM) to ferromagnetic (FM) at ≈ 380K. In the AFM phase of FeRh, only Fe has net magnetic moment, whereas in the FM phase both Fe and Rh carry net moments. The phase transition is also accompanied by a ≈ 1% isotropic lattice expansion in the bulk BCC structure, and changes in electronic structure, see [3-5] and refs. therein.Since magnetic and structural dynamics occur at different timescales, it makes FeRh an ideal candidate for disentangling relevant interaction mechanisms at different timescales. The phase transition has been extensively studied theoretically and experimentally[6-8], in thermal equilibrium and in the time domain, but a precise understanding of the roles of the electronic, phononic and spin sub-systems remains elusive. We have studied the laser-driven AFM to FM phase transition in FeRh with small angle X-ray scattering (tr-SAXS) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (tr-XAS) around the Fe L3 edge. The experiments were performed at the SCS Instrument of the European XFEL. We also performed the time-dependent density functional theory(TD-DFT) calculations to simulate the XAS spectra at different time delays. In this contribution, we will discuss the changes of the electronic structure of FeRh on the femto- and picosecond timescales, derived from the XAS and scattering measurements at the Fe L3 absorption edge performed at European XFEL, and compare them with the theoretical simulations (see the figure) , in order to show the relation between them and the first order AFM-FM phase transition in FeRh.References: [1] E. Beaurepaire et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 76, 4250 (1996) [2] J.-Y. Bigot et al., Nature Physics 5, 515 (2009) [3] J.-U. Thiele et al. Appl. Phys. Lett. 82, 2859 (2003) [4] A.X. Gray et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 257208 (2012). [5] C. Baldasseroni et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 100, 262401 (2012). [6] J.-U. Thiele, M. Buess, C.H. Back, Appl. Phys. Lett 85, 2857 (2004). [7] G. Ju et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 197403 (2004) [8] I. Radu et al., PRB 81, 104415 (2010)

Probing the Laser-driven Antiferromagnetic to Ferromagnetic Phase Transition of FeRh with Femtosecond Time-resolved Small Angle X-ray Scattering (tr-SAXS) and X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (tr-XAS)

Antiferromagnetically coupled ferromagnetic thin films have recently attracted significant attention in magnonics because of the possibility to tune the spin-wave dispersion by altering the interlayer exchange coupling, which would help to achieve the spin-wave nonreciprocity [1]. To implement such coupled films in magnonic devices, a detailed understanding of the precessional dynamics of magnetization in such systems is required. Here, we present a systematic characterization of the precessional dynamics for systems with the layer magnetization going from nearly antiparallel to parallel alignment on application of a magnetic field. Experimentally, we have measured the ultrafast-laser-induced magnetization precession in samples with different interlayer exchange coupling strengths using the time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect. In addition to the acoustic and optical modes, an extra mode is observed that is due to the laser-induced decoupling of the two ferromagnetic layers. The observed precessional dynamics is in good agreement with our theoretical model based on the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation, and can be separated into three different field regions determined by the relationship between the Zeeman energy and the energy associated with the interlayer exchange coupling, as shown in Fig. 1 [2]. This work gives a detailed insigth of how the interlayer exchange coupling and Zeeman energy influence the precessional dynamics, and provides an important guide to implement antiferromagnetically coupled films in functional magnonic devices.References: [1] R. A. Gallardo, et al. Phys. Rev. Appl. 12, 034012 (2019) [2] J. Zhou, et al. Phys. Rev. B, 101, 214434 (2020)

Ultrafast Laser Induced Precessional Dynamics in Antiferromagnetically Coupled Ferromagnetic Films

A thorough understanding of femtosecond magnetism will address the important questions of how fast the magnetization can be reoriented in a material and what physical processes present fundamental limits to this speed. Ultimately, light represents the fastest means to alter the state of a material since laser pulses can now be generated with extremely short temporal duration down to a few tens of attoseconds. One particularly interesting and novel scheme for the ultrafast manipulation of spins using light takes advantage of the optically-induced spin transfer (OISTR), which was recently introduced by Dewhurst et al. [1]. This microscopic mechanism is driven by a spin-selective direct optical excitation from one magnetic sublattice to another. Guided by time dependent density functional theory calculations, we are able to monitor the optically induced transient changes in the model systems FeNi in real time by time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr spectroscopy using high-harmonic generation (HHG TMOKE) [2]. Exploiting the spectral sensitivity of this measurement technique we are able to follow the ultrafast spin transfer from Fe to Ni during the optical excitation. OISTR, therefore, opens up a new avenue towards manipulating solids on timescales only limited by the duration of the exciting light pulse, which forecasts a control of the spin dynamics on the attosecond time scale. How far this spin manipulation via OISTR is a general phenomenon or restricted to a subset of materials with specific properties is an open experimental and theoretical question. In order to opens up a systematic path for coherent manipulation of spin dynamics by direct light-matter interaction we started to investigate OISTR in a variety of different compounds with higher complexity [3]. We reveal for example that the half-Heusler materials NiMnSb and CoMnSb exhibit strong signatures of OISTR, whereas this is less pronounced in the full-Heusler compounds Co2MnSi, Co2FeSi, and Co2FeAl in agreement with ab initio calculations [4].References: [1] J.K. Dewhurst et al, Nano Lett. 18 1842 (2018) [2] M. Hofherr et al. Sci. Adv. 6 eaay8717 (2020) [3] P. Tengdin et al , Sci. Adv. 6 eaaz1100 (2020) [4] D. Steil et al, Phys. Rev. Research 2, 023199 (2020)

Ultrafast optically induced Spin Transfer (OISTR) in Ferromagnetic Alloys INVITED

Co1-xMgxFe2O4（x = 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0）nanoparticles surrounded by amorphous SiO2 with particle sizes around 5 nm were prepared by an original wet chemical method. Furthermore, in order to develop the particles for conjugation with proteins, thiol group was modified. These particles were further confirmed as an agent for hyperthermia treatment. The heat dissipation characteristics of the particles were investigated by measuring AC magnetic susceptibility and the relationship between the imaginary part of AC magnetic susceptibility χ” and the increase in temperature in the AC field was estimated. We have carried out spin echo MRI measurements for Co1-xMgxFe2O4 nanoparticles using a 0.3-T MRI system. The particles showed drastic T2 shortening effect comparing to agarose as background depending on the composition. All the particles showed effective relaxivity, R2 values and significant contrast was observed in the phantom image. These particles are expected for future agents for theranostics.References: [1] T. Kondo, K. Mori, M. Hachisu, T. Yamazaki, D. Okamoto, M. Watanabe, K. Gonda, H. Tada, Y. Hamada, M. Takano, N. Ohuchi, and Y. Ichiyanagi, J. Appl. Phys. 11717D157 (2015). [2] D. Shigeoka, T. Yamazaki, T. Ishikawa, K. Miike, K. Fujiwara, T. Ide, A. Usui, Y. Hosokai, H. Saito and Y. Ichiyanagi, IEEE Trans. Magn., 54 6100707 (2018).


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Effects of CoFe Alloy Composition on Magnetization Dynamics and Magnetic Thermal Transport

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A simulation study of RKKY exchange mediated ultrafast all-optical switching of GdCo/[Co/Pt] heterostructures

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