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Explaining the paradoxical diversity of ultrafast laser-induced demagnetization

Nature Materials volume 9, pages 259–265 (2010)Cite this article

Abstract

Pulsed-laser-induced quenching of ferromagnetic order has intrigued researchers since pioneering works in the 1990s. It was reported that demagnetization in gadolinium proceeds within 100 ps, but three orders of magnitude faster in ferromagnetic transition metals such as nickel. Here we show that a model based on electron–phonon-mediated spin-flip scattering explains both timescales on equal footing. Our interpretation is supported by ab initio estimates of the spin-flip scattering probability, and experimental fluence dependencies are shown to agree perfectly with predictions. A phase diagram is constructed in which two classes of laser-induced magnetization dynamics can be distinguished, where the ratio of the Curie temperature to the atomic magnetic moment turns out to have a crucial role. We conclude that the ultrafast magnetization dynamics can be well described disregarding highly excited electronic states, merely considering the thermalized electron system.

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Figure 1: Schematic representations of laser-induced demagnetization of Ni compared with Gd.
Figure 2: Type I and type II magnetization dynamics.
Figure 3: TRMOKE experiments on Ni and Co for different laser fluences, as compared to results of the M3TM model.
Figure 4: Exploring the parameter space of type II dynamics.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge U. Bovensiepen for highly enlightening discussions, which significantly contributed to the insight that led to the present work. We are indebted to D. Steil (TU Kaiserslautern) who participated in the TRMOKE measurements. M. Jourdan (Universität Mainz) and C. Döring (TU Kaiserslautern) are acknowledged for sample preparation. We thank the DFG SPP 1133 and the GRK 792 ‘Nonlinear Optics and Ultrafast Processes’, as well as the EU network Ultraswitch for financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Physics, Center for NanoMaterials (cNM), Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands

    B. Koopmans, G. Malinowski & F. Dalla Longa

  2. Max-Planck-Institut für Metallforschung Stuttgart, Heisenbergstraße 3, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany

    D. Steiauf & M. Fähnle

  3. Department of Physics and Research Center OPTIMAS, University of Kaiserslautern, Erwin-Schrödinger-Straße 46, 67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany

    T. Roth, M. Cinchetti & M. Aeschlimann

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  1. B. Koopmans
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  2. G. Malinowski
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Contributions

The M3TM was developed by B.K. and F.D.L.; experimental work was carried out by T.R. and F.D.L.; data analysis and simulations were done by B.K., T.R., G.M. and M.C.; D.S. and M.F. carried out ab initio calculations and provided theory input, and project planning was taken care of by B.K., M.C., M.A. and M.F. B.K. wrote the core of the manuscript, and all authors contributed to certain parts of it.

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Correspondence to B. Koopmans.

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Koopmans, B., Malinowski, G., Dalla Longa, F. et al. Explaining the paradoxical diversity of ultrafast laser-induced demagnetization. Nature Mater 9, 259–265 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat2593

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