Speed limits of the laser-induced phase transition in FeRh

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Mattern, Maximilian, Jarecki, Jasmin, Arregi, Jon Ander, Uhlíř, Vojtěch, Rössle, Matthias, Bargheer, Matias
Format: Preprint
Published: 2023
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author Mattern, Maximilian
Jarecki, Jasmin
Arregi, Jon Ander
Uhlíř, Vojtěch
Rössle, Matthias
Bargheer, Matias
author_facet Mattern, Maximilian
Jarecki, Jasmin
Arregi, Jon Ander
Uhlíř, Vojtěch
Rössle, Matthias
Bargheer, Matias
contents We use ultrafast x-ray diffraction (UXRD) and the polar time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect (tr-MOKE) to study the laser-induced metamagnetic phase transition in two FeRh films with thicknesses below and above the optical penetration depth. In the thin film, we identify an intrinsic timescale for the light-induced nucleation of ferromagnetic (FM) domains in the antiferromagnetic material of $8\,\text{ps}$ that is substantially slower than the speed of sound. For the inhomogeneously excited thicker film, only the optically excited near-surface part transforms within $8\,\text{ps}$. For strong excitations we observe an additional slow rise of the FM phase, which we experimentally relate to a growth of the FM phase into the depth of the layer by comparing the transient magnetization in front- and backside excitation geometry. In the lower lying parts of the film, which are only excited via near-equilibrium heat transport, the FM phase emerges significantly slower than $8\,\text{ps}$ after heating above the transition temperature.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2305_02094
institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Speed limits of the laser-induced phase transition in FeRh
Mattern, Maximilian
Jarecki, Jasmin
Arregi, Jon Ander
Uhlíř, Vojtěch
Rössle, Matthias
Bargheer, Matias
Materials Science
We use ultrafast x-ray diffraction (UXRD) and the polar time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect (tr-MOKE) to study the laser-induced metamagnetic phase transition in two FeRh films with thicknesses below and above the optical penetration depth. In the thin film, we identify an intrinsic timescale for the light-induced nucleation of ferromagnetic (FM) domains in the antiferromagnetic material of $8\,\text{ps}$ that is substantially slower than the speed of sound. For the inhomogeneously excited thicker film, only the optically excited near-surface part transforms within $8\,\text{ps}$. For strong excitations we observe an additional slow rise of the FM phase, which we experimentally relate to a growth of the FM phase into the depth of the layer by comparing the transient magnetization in front- and backside excitation geometry. In the lower lying parts of the film, which are only excited via near-equilibrium heat transport, the FM phase emerges significantly slower than $8\,\text{ps}$ after heating above the transition temperature.
title Speed limits of the laser-induced phase transition in FeRh
topic Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2305.02094