All-optical magnetometric characterization of the antiferromagnetic exchange-spring system Mn$_2$Au|Py by terahertz spin-torques

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Main Authors: Behovits, Yannic, Chekhov, Alexander L., Serrano, Bruno Rosinus, Ruge, Amon, Reimers, Sonka, Lytvynenko, Yaryna, Kläui, Mathias, Jourdan, Martin, Kampfrath, Tobias
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Behovits, Yannic
Chekhov, Alexander L.
Serrano, Bruno Rosinus
Ruge, Amon
Reimers, Sonka
Lytvynenko, Yaryna
Kläui, Mathias
Jourdan, Martin
Kampfrath, Tobias
author_facet Behovits, Yannic
Chekhov, Alexander L.
Serrano, Bruno Rosinus
Ruge, Amon
Reimers, Sonka
Lytvynenko, Yaryna
Kläui, Mathias
Jourdan, Martin
Kampfrath, Tobias
contents Antiferromagnetic materials have great potential for spintronic applications at terahertz (THz) frequencies. However, in contrast to ferromagnets, experimental studies of antiferromagnets are often challenging due to a lack of straightforward external control of the Néel vector $\mathbf{L}$. Here, we study an AFM|FM stack consisting of an antiferromagnetic metal layer (AFM) of the novel material Mn2Au and a ferromagnetic metal layer (FM) of NiFe. In this exchange-spring system, $\mathbf{L}$ of AFM Mn2Au can be controlled by the application of an external magnetic field B_ext. To characterize the AFM|FM stack as a function of the quasi-static $\mathbf{B}_{\mathrm{ext}}$, we perform THz-pump magneto-optic probe experiments. We identify signal components that can consistently be explained by the in-plane antiferromagnetic magnon mode excited by field-like Néel spin-orbit torques (NSOTs). Remarkably, we find that the $\mathbf{B}_{\mathrm{ext}}$- and THz-pump-induced changes in the optical response of the sample are dominated exclusively by the spin degrees of freedom of AFM. We fully calibrate the magnetic circular and magnetic linear optical birefringence of AFM and extract the efficiency of the NSOTs. Finally, by selective excitation of domains with different orientation of $\mathbf{L}$, we are able to determine the relative volume fraction of 0°, 90°, 180° and 270° domains distribution during the quasi-static reversal of $\mathbf{L}$ by $\mathbf{B}_{\mathrm{ext}}$. Our insights are an important prerequisite for future studies of ultrafast coherent switching of spins by THz NSOTs and show that THz-pump magneto-optic-probe experiments are a powerful tool to characterize magnetic properties of antiferromagnets.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2409_18107
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle All-optical magnetometric characterization of the antiferromagnetic exchange-spring system Mn$_2$Au|Py by terahertz spin-torques
Behovits, Yannic
Chekhov, Alexander L.
Serrano, Bruno Rosinus
Ruge, Amon
Reimers, Sonka
Lytvynenko, Yaryna
Kläui, Mathias
Jourdan, Martin
Kampfrath, Tobias
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Antiferromagnetic materials have great potential for spintronic applications at terahertz (THz) frequencies. However, in contrast to ferromagnets, experimental studies of antiferromagnets are often challenging due to a lack of straightforward external control of the Néel vector $\mathbf{L}$. Here, we study an AFM|FM stack consisting of an antiferromagnetic metal layer (AFM) of the novel material Mn2Au and a ferromagnetic metal layer (FM) of NiFe. In this exchange-spring system, $\mathbf{L}$ of AFM Mn2Au can be controlled by the application of an external magnetic field B_ext. To characterize the AFM|FM stack as a function of the quasi-static $\mathbf{B}_{\mathrm{ext}}$, we perform THz-pump magneto-optic probe experiments. We identify signal components that can consistently be explained by the in-plane antiferromagnetic magnon mode excited by field-like Néel spin-orbit torques (NSOTs). Remarkably, we find that the $\mathbf{B}_{\mathrm{ext}}$- and THz-pump-induced changes in the optical response of the sample are dominated exclusively by the spin degrees of freedom of AFM. We fully calibrate the magnetic circular and magnetic linear optical birefringence of AFM and extract the efficiency of the NSOTs. Finally, by selective excitation of domains with different orientation of $\mathbf{L}$, we are able to determine the relative volume fraction of 0°, 90°, 180° and 270° domains distribution during the quasi-static reversal of $\mathbf{L}$ by $\mathbf{B}_{\mathrm{ext}}$. Our insights are an important prerequisite for future studies of ultrafast coherent switching of spins by THz NSOTs and show that THz-pump magneto-optic-probe experiments are a powerful tool to characterize magnetic properties of antiferromagnets.
title All-optical magnetometric characterization of the antiferromagnetic exchange-spring system Mn$_2$Au|Py by terahertz spin-torques
topic Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.18107