Non-thermal electrons open the non-equilibrium pathway of the phase transition in FeRh

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Mattern, Maximilian, Zeuschner, Steffen Peer, Rössle, Matthias, Arregi, Jon Ander, Uhlíř, Vojtěch, Bargheer, Matias
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2023
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author Mattern, Maximilian
Zeuschner, Steffen Peer
Rössle, Matthias
Arregi, Jon Ander
Uhlíř, Vojtěch
Bargheer, Matias
author_facet Mattern, Maximilian
Zeuschner, Steffen Peer
Rössle, Matthias
Arregi, Jon Ander
Uhlíř, Vojtěch
Bargheer, Matias
contents We use ultrafast x-ray diffraction to study non-equilibrium pathways of the phase transition in FeRh parametrized by the structural response. By increasing the pump-pulse duration beyond the electron-phonon coupling time, we suppress the electron-phonon non-equilibrium present upon femtosecond laser excitation but still photoexcite electrons to non-thermal states. Irrespective of the pump pulse duration, we find an optically induced nucleation of ferromagnetic domains on an $8\,\text{ps}$ timescale that starts as soon as the successively deposited energy surpasses the site-specific threshold energy. If in contrast, FeRh is only indirectly excited by diffusion of thermalized electrons from an opaque Pt cap layer, the ferromagnetic phase rises on a $50\,\text{ps}$ timescale. These findings unambiguously identify the photo-excitation of non-thermal electrons and not electron-phonon non-equilibria to enable the non-equilibrium pathway of the phase transition in FeRh.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2310_18289
institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Non-thermal electrons open the non-equilibrium pathway of the phase transition in FeRh
Mattern, Maximilian
Zeuschner, Steffen Peer
Rössle, Matthias
Arregi, Jon Ander
Uhlíř, Vojtěch
Bargheer, Matias
Materials Science
We use ultrafast x-ray diffraction to study non-equilibrium pathways of the phase transition in FeRh parametrized by the structural response. By increasing the pump-pulse duration beyond the electron-phonon coupling time, we suppress the electron-phonon non-equilibrium present upon femtosecond laser excitation but still photoexcite electrons to non-thermal states. Irrespective of the pump pulse duration, we find an optically induced nucleation of ferromagnetic domains on an $8\,\text{ps}$ timescale that starts as soon as the successively deposited energy surpasses the site-specific threshold energy. If in contrast, FeRh is only indirectly excited by diffusion of thermalized electrons from an opaque Pt cap layer, the ferromagnetic phase rises on a $50\,\text{ps}$ timescale. These findings unambiguously identify the photo-excitation of non-thermal electrons and not electron-phonon non-equilibria to enable the non-equilibrium pathway of the phase transition in FeRh.
title Non-thermal electrons open the non-equilibrium pathway of the phase transition in FeRh
topic Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2310.18289