- Physical Review Journals
All JournalsPhysics Magazine
Access Provided by Xinjiang University

Physical Review Applied

Export citation

Export citation

Choose format for download:

Download Citation
  • Editors' Suggestion
  • Access by Xinjiang University

From Multiple- to Single-Pulse All-Optical Helicity-Dependent Switching in Ferromagnetic Co/Pt Multilayers

G. Kichin, M. Hehn, J. Gorchon, G. Malinowski, J. Hohlfeld, and S. Mangin*

  • Institut Jean Lamour, CNRS UMR 7198, Université de Lorraine, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy F-54506, France

  • *stephane.mangin@univ-lorraine.fr
PDF

Phys. Rev. Applied 12, 024019 – Published 9 August, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.12.024019

Abstract

All-optical helicity-dependent switching in ferromagnetic Co/Pt multilayers is investigated using magneto-optical microscopy and anomalous Hall effect measurements. A state diagram is built by studying the effect of pulse duration, fluence, and spot size. We use numerical solutions of the three-temperature model to explain that the all-optical helicity-dependent switching mechanism relies on the spin bath reaching temperatures close to the Curie point. Further insights into the reversal process are provided by the experimental demonstration of significant helicity-dependent reversal after a single laser pulse that reveals the involvement of direct angular momentum transfer. Moreover, based on the observation that longer pulse durations and larger spot sizes lead to enhanced reversal efficiency, we identify experimental conditions that lead to saturated magnetization reversal after just a few tens of laser pulses.

View figure in article

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Article Text

References (28)

  1. C. D. Stanciu, F. Hansteen, A. V. Kimel, A. Kirilyuk, A. Tsukamoto, A. Itoh, and T. Rasing, All-Optical Magnetic Recording with Circularly Polarized Light, Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 047601 (2007).
  2. A. Kirilyuk, A. V. Kimel, and T. Rasing, Laser-induced magnetization dynamics and reversal in ferrimagnetic alloys, Rep. Prog. Phys. 76, 026501 (2013).
  3. M. S. El Hadri, M. Hehn, G. Malinowski, and S. Mangin, Materials and devices for all-optical helicity-dependent switching, J. Phys. D Appl. Phys. 50, 133002 (2017).
  4. S. Mangin, M. Gottwald, C. Lambert, D. Steil, V. Uhlíř, L. Pang, M. Hehn, S. Alebrand, M. Cinchetti, G. Malinowski, Y. Fainman, M. Aeschlimann, and E. E. Fullerton, Engineered materials for all-optical helicity-dependent magnetic switching, Nat. Mater. 13, 286 (2014).
  5. C.-H. Lambert, S. Mangin, B. S. D. C. S. Varaprasad, Y. K. Takahashi, M. Hehn, M. Cinchetti, G. Malinowski, K. Hono, Y. Fainman, M. Aeschlimann, and E. E. Fullerton, All-optical control of ferromagnetic thin films and nanostructures, Science 345, 1337 (2014).
  6. I. Radu, K. Vahaplar, C. Stamm, T. Kachel, N. Pontius, H. A. Dürr, T. A. Ostler, J. Barker, R. F. L. Evans, R. W. Chantrell, A. Tsukamoto, A. Itoh, A. Kirilyuk, T. Rasing, and A. V. Kimel, Transient ferromagnetic-like state mediating ultrafast reversal of antiferromagnetically coupled spins, Nature 472, 205 (2011).
  7. A. J. Schellekens and B. Koopmans, Microscopic model for ultrafast magnetization dynamics of multisublattice magnets, Phys. Rev. B 87, 020407 (2013).
  8. T. A. Ostler, et al., Ultrafast heating as a sufficient stimulus for magnetization reversal in a ferrimagnet, Nat. Commun. 3, 666 (2012).
  9. A. R. Khorsand, M. Savoini, A. Kirilyuk, A. V. Kimel, A. Tsukamoto, A. Itoh, and Th Rasing, Role of Magnetic Circular Dichroism in All-Optical Magnetic Recording, Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 127205 (2012).
  10. J. Gorchon, Y. Yang, and J. Bokor, Model for multishot all-thermal all-optical switching in ferromagnets, Phys. Rev. B 94, 020409(R) (2016).
  11. M. O. A. Ellis, E. E. Fullerton, and R. W. Chantrell, All-optical switching in granular ferromagnets caused by magnetic circular dichroism, Sci. Rep. 6, 1 (2016).
  12. K. Vahaplar, A. M. Kalashnikova, A. V. Kimel, D. Hinzke, U. Nowak, R. Chantrell, A. Tsukamoto, A. Itoh, A. Kirilyuk, and T. Rasing, Ultrafast Path for Optical Magnetization Reversal via a Strongly Nonequilibrium State, Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 117201 (2012).
  13. R. W. Chantrell, private communications
  14. A. Kundu and S. Zhang, Effect of laser induced orbital momentum on magnetization switching, J. Magn Magn Mater. 454, 165 (2018).
  15. M. S. El Hadri, M. Hehn, P. Pirro, C. H. Lambert, G. Malinowski, E. E. Fullerton, and S. Mangin, Domain size criterion for the observation of all-optical helicity-dependent switching in magnetic thin films, Phys. Rev. B. 94, 064419 (2016).
  16. S. Alebrand, M. Gottwald, M. Hehn, D. Steil, M. Cinchetti, D. Lacour, E. E. Fullerton, M. Aeschlimann, and S. Mangin, Light-induced magnetization reversal of high-anisotropy TbCo alloy films, Appl. Phys. Lett. 101, 162408 (2012).
  17. R. Medapalli, D. Afanasiev, D. K. Kim, Y. Quessab, S. Manna, S. A. Montoya, A. Kirilyuk, T. Rasing, A. V. Kimel, and E. E. Fullerton, Multiscale dynamics of helicity-dependent all-optical magnetization reversal in ferromagnetic Co/Pt multilayers, Phys. Rev. B 96, 224421 (2017).
  18. E. Beaurepaire, J.-C. Merle, A. Daunois, and J.-Y. Bigot, Ultrafast Spin Dynamics in Ferromagnetic Nickel, Phys. Rev. Lett. 76, 4250 (1996).
  19. N. Bergeard, M. Hehn, S. Mangin, G. Lengaigne, F. Montaigne, M. L. M. Lalieu, B. Koopmans, and G. Malinowski, Hot-Electron-Induced Ultrafast Demagnetization in Co/Pt Multilayers, Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 147203 (2016).
  20. J. Mendil, P. Nieves, O. Chubykalo-Fesenko, J. Walowski, T. Santos, S. Pisana, and M. Münzenberg, Resolving the role of femtosecond heated electrons in ultrafast spin dynamics, Sci. Rep. 4, 3980 (2014).
  21. K. C. Kuiper, T. Roth, A. J. Schellekens, O. Schmitt, B. Koopmans, M. Cinchetti, and M. Aeschlimann, Spin-orbit enhanced demagnetization rate in co/pt-multilayers, Appl. Phys. Lett. 105, 202402 (2014).
  22. A. Kirilyuk, A. V. Kimel, and Th. Rasing, Ultrafast optical manipulation of magnetic order, Rev. Mod. Phys. 82, 2731 (2010).
  23. M. S. El Hadri, P. Pirro, C. Lambert, Y. Quessab, M. Hehn, F. Montaigne, G. Malinowski, and S. Mangin, Two types of all-optical magnetization switching mechanisms using femtosecond laser pulses, Phys. Rev. B 94, 064412 (2016).
  24. M. S. El Hadri, P. Pirro, C. Lambert, N. Bergeard, M. Hehn, G. Malinowski, F. Montaigne, R. Medapalli, E. E. Fullerton, S. Mangin, M. S. El Hadri, P. Pirro, C. Lambert, N. Bergeard, and M. Hehn, Electrical characterization of all-optical helicity-dependent switching in ferromagnetic Hall crosses, Appl. Phys. Lett. 108, 092405 (2016).
  25. Y. Tsema, G. Kichin, O. Hellwig, V. Mehta, A. V. Kimel, A. Kirilyuk, and T. Rasing, Helicity and field dependent magnetization dynamics of ferromagnetic Co/Pt multilayers, Appl. Phys. Lett. 109, 072405 (2016).
  26. Y. Quessab, R. Medapalli, M. S. El Hadri, M. Hehn, G. Malinowski, E. E. Fullerton, and S. Mangin, Helicity-dependent all-optical domain wall motion in ferromagnetic thin films, Phys. Rev. B 97, 054419 (2018).
  27. M. Berritta, R. Mondal, K. Carva, and P. M. Oppeneer, Ab Initio Theory of Coherent Laser-Induced Magnetization in Metals, Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 137203 (2016).
  28. R. John, M. Berritta, D. Hinzke, C. Müller, T. Santos, H. Ulrichs, P. Nieves, J. Walowski, R. Mondal, O. Chubykalo-Fesenko, J. McCord, P. M. Oppeneer, U. Nowak, and M. Münzenberg, Magnetisation switching of FePt nanoparticle recording medium by femtosecond laser pulses, Sci. Rep. 7, 4114 (2017).

Outline

Information

Phys. Rev. Applied 12, 024019– Published 9 August, 2019
  • Received 25 January 2019
  • Revised 6 June 2019
Crossmark - Check for updates button

© 2019 American Physical Society

Sign In to Your Journals Account

Filter

Filter

Article Lookup

Enter a citation