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Femtosecond modification of electron localization and transfer of angular momentum in nickel

Nature Materials volume 6, pages 740–743 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

The rapidly increasing information density required of modern magnetic data storage devices raises the question of the fundamental limits in bit size and writing speed. At present, the magnetization reversal of a bit can occur as quickly as 200 ps (ref. 1). A fundamental limit has been explored by using intense magnetic-field pulses of 2 ps duration leading to a non-deterministic magnetization reversal2. For this process, dissipation of spin angular momentum to other degrees of freedom on an ultrafast timescale is crucial2. An even faster regime down to 100 fs or below might be reached by non-thermal control of magnetization with femtosecond laser radiation3. Here, we show that an efficient novel channel for angular momentum dissipation to the lattice can be opened by femtosecond laser excitation of a ferromagnet. For the first time, the quenching of spin angular momentum and its transfer to the lattice with a time constant of 120±70 fs is determined unambiguously with X-ray magnetic circular dichroism. We report the first femtosecond time-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy data over an entire absorption edge, which are consistent with an unexpected increase in valence-electron localization during the first 120±50 fs, possibly providing the driving force behind femtosecond spin–lattice relaxation.

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Figure 1: Schematic diagram of the pump–probe set-up.
Figure 2: Femtosecond X-ray absorption spectra.
Figure 3: Femtosecond evolution of Ni electronic and magnetic structure.
Figure 4: Schematic diagram of electronic structure changes.

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Acknowledgements

We thank F.M.F. de Groot for valuable and stimulating discussions. We are indebted to the BESSY staff for the enthusiastic help and support during the construction and commissioning of the femtoslicing facility. Work is supported by the Bundesministerium für Bildung, Wissenschaft, Forschung and Technologie, by the Land Berlin and by the European Union.

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Author notes

  1. S. Khan

    Present address: Present address: Institut für Experimentalphysik, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chausee 145, 22761 Hamburg, Germany,

  2. C. Lupulescu

    Present address: Present address: LASIM—Laboratoire de Spectrométrie Ionique et Moléculaire Bât A. Kastler, 43, bd du 11 Novembre 1918, 69622 Lyon, Villeurbanne, France,

Authors and Affiliations

  1. BESSY GmbH, Albert-Einstein-Str. 15, 12489 Berlin, Germany

    C. Stamm, T. Kachel, N. Pontius, R. Mitzner, T. Quast, K. Holldack, S. Khan, C. Lupulescu, E. F. Aziz, M. Wietstruk, H. A. Dürr & W. Eberhardt

  2. Physikalisches Institut der Universität Münster, Wilhelm-Klemm-Str. 10, 48149 Münster, Germany

    R. Mitzner

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Correspondence to H. A. Dürr.

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Stamm, C., Kachel, T., Pontius, N. et al. Femtosecond modification of electron localization and transfer of angular momentum in nickel. Nature Mater 6, 740–743 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat1985

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