We derive an effective Lagrangian in the quasi-antiferromagnetic approximation that allows to describe the magnetization dynamics for uniaxial f-d (rare-earth - transition metal) ferrimagnet near the magnetization compensation point in the presence of external magnetic field. We perform calculations for the parameters of GdFeCo, a metallic ferrimagnet with compensation point that is one of the most promising materials in ultrafast magnetism. Using the developed approach, we find the torque that acts on the magnetization due to ultrafast demagnetization pulse that can be caused either by ultrashort laser or electrical current pulse. We show that the torque is non-zero only in the non-collinear magnetic phase that can be acquired by applying external magnetic field to the material. The coherent response of magnetization dynamics amplitude and its timescale exhibits critical behavior near certain values of the magnetic field corresponding to a spin-flop like phase transition. Understanding the underlying mechanisms for these effects opens the way to efficient control of the amplitude and the timescales of the spin dynamics, which is one of the central problems in the field of ultrafast magnetism.
We provide a macroscopic theory and experimental results for magnetic resonances of antiferromagnetically-coupled ferrimagnets. Our theory, which interpolates the dynamics of antiferromagnets and ferromagnets smoothly, can describe ferrimagnetic resonances across the angular momentum compensation point. We also present experimental results for spin-torque induced ferrimagnetic resonance at several temperatures. The spectral analysis based on our theory reveals that the Gilbert damping parameter, which has been considered to be strongly temperature dependent, is insensitive to temperature. We e…
The influence of temperature on the magnetic-field-driven domain wall (DW) motion is investigated in GdFeCo ferrimagnets with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA). We find that the depinning field strongly depends on temperature. Moreover, it is also found that the saturation magnetization exhibits a similar dependence on temperature to that of depinning field. From the creep-scaling criticality, a simple relation between the depinning field and the properties of PMA is clearly identified theoretically as well as experimentally. Our findings open a way for a better understanding how the mag…
We investigate the Gilbert damping parameter for rare earth (RE)-transition metal (TM) ferrimagnets over a wide temperature range. Extracted from the field-driven magnetic domain-wall mobility, the Gilbert damping parameter was as low as 0.0072 and was almost constant across the angular momentum compensation temperature, starkly contrasting previous predictions that the Gilbert damping parameter should diverge at the angular momentum compensation temperature due to vanishing total angular momentum. Thus, magnetic damping of RE-TM ferrimagnets is not related to the total angular momentum but is…
Magnetic skyrmions are swirling magnetic textures with novel characteristics suitable for future spintronic and topological applications. Recent studies confirmed the room-temperature stabilization of skyrmions in ultrathin ferromagnets. However, such ferromagnetic skyrmions show undesirable topological effect, the skyrmion Hall effect, which leads to their current-driven motion towards device edges, where skyrmions could easily be annihilated by topographic defects. Recent theoretical studies have predicted enhanced current-driven behaviour for antiferromagnetically exchange-coupled skyrmions…
Ferromagnetic materials dominate as the magnetically active element in spintronic devices, but come with drawbacks such as large stray fields, and low operational frequencies. Compensated ferrimagnets provide an alternative as they combine the ultrafast magnetization dynamics of antiferromagnets with a ferromagnet-like spin-orbit-torque (SOT) behavior. However to use ferrimagnets in spintronic devices their advantageous properties must be retained also in ultrathin films (t < 10 nm). In this study, ferrimagnetic Gdx(Fe87.5Co12.5)1-x thin films in the thickness range t = 2-20 nm were grown on h…
Non-uniform magnetic structures produce emergent electromagnetic phenomena such as the topological Hall effect and the spin-motive force (SMF). The experimental reports on the SMF, however, are very few and the relationship between the SMF and material parameters is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the SMF in ferrimagnetic GdFeCo alloy films using the spin-torque-induced ferromagnetic resonance method and clarified the relationship. The amplitude of the detected SMF becomes larger than that of the transition metal alloy FeCo by the Gd doping and reaches the maximum near a Gd compo…
We present results on the identification of phase transitions in ferrimagnetic GdFeCo alloys using machine learning. The approach for finding phase transitions in the system is based on the `learning by confusion' scheme, which allows one to characterize phase transitions using a universal $W$-shape. By applying the `learning by confusion' scheme, we obtain 2D $W$-a shaped surface that characterizes a triple phase transition point of the GdFeCo alloy. We demonstrate that our results are in the perfect agreement with the procedure of the numerical minimization of the thermodynamical potential, …
Single-pulse switching has been experimentally demonstrated in ferrimagnetic GdFeCo and Mn$_2$Ru$_x$Ga alloys. Complete understanding of single-pulse switching is missing due to the lack of an established theory accurately describing the transition to the non-equilibrium reversal path induced by femtosecond laser photo-excitation. In this work we present general macroscopic theory for the magnetization dynamics of ferrimagnetic materials upon femtosecond laser excitation. Our theory reproduces quantitatively all stages of the switching process observed in experiments. We directly compare our t…
研究了富过渡金属（TM）和富稀土（RE）两种结构的亚铁磁性Gd $_x$（Fe $_{90}$ Co $_{10}$）$_{100-x}$薄膜的自旋-轨道转矩开关。自旋-轨道扭矩驱动的磁化切换遵循相同的偏手性在TM-丰富和RE-丰富的样品相对于总磁化，但偏手性的切换是相反的相对于TM磁化。这表明自旋-轨道-转矩驱动的磁切换的符号遵循总磁化，尽管基于输运的技术（诸如异常霍尔效应）仅对过渡金属磁化敏感。这些结果为研究反铁磁耦合亚晶格材料中自旋角动量转移的物理性质提供了重要的理论依据。
We demonstrate that effects of spin-orbit coupling and inversion asymmetry exist in a single GdFeCo ferrimagnetic layer, even without a heavy metal interface. We use electric transport measurements to quantify the spin-orbit torques. We measure the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction using Brillouin light scattering measurement technique, and we observe the resulting chiral magnetic textures using x-ray PEEM microscopy. We attribute these effects to a composition variation along the thickness, that we observed by scanning transmission electron microscopy. We show that these effects can be optimi…
The evolution of chiral spin structures is studied in ferrimagnet Ta/Ir/Fe/GdFeCo/Pt multilayers as a function of temperature using scanning electron microscopy with polarization analysis (SEMPA). The GdFeCo ferrimagnet exhibits pure right-hand Néel-type domain wall (DW) spin textures over a large temperature range. This indicates the presence of a negative Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) that can originate from both the top Fe/Pt and the Co/Pt interfaces. From measurements of the DW width, as well as complementary magnetic characterization, the exchange stiffness as a function of temp…
In this review we introduce computer modelling and simulation techniques which are used for ferrimagnetic materials. We focus on models where thermal effects are accounted for, atomistic spin dynamics and finite temperature macrospin approaches. We survey the literature of two of the most commonly modelled ferrimagnets in the field of spintronics--the amorphous alloy GdFeCo and the magnetic insulator yttrium iron garnet. We look at how generic models and material specific models have been applied to predict and understand spintronic experiments, focusing on the fields of ultrafast magnetisatio…
Measurements of the transverse Hall resistance are widely used to investigate electron transport, magnetization phenomena, and topological quantum states. Owing to the difficulty of probing transient changes of the transverse resistance, the vast majority of Hall effect experiments are carried out in stationary conditions using either dc or ac currents. Here we present an approach to perform time-resolved measurements of the transient Hall resistance during current-pulse injection with sub-nanosecond temporal resolution. We apply this technique to investigate in real-time the magnetization rev…
Many questions are still open regarding the physical mechanisms behind the magnetic switching in GdFeCo alloys by single optical pulses. Phenomenological models suggest a femtosecond scale exchange relaxation between sublattice magnetization as the driving mechanism for switching. The recent observation of thermally induced switching in GdFeCo by using both several picosecond optical laser pulse as well as electric current pulses has questioned this previous understanding. This has raised the question of whether or not the same switching mechanics are acting at the femo- and picosecond scales.…
Spintronics provides an efficient platform for realizing non-volatile memory and logic devices. In these systems, data is stored in the magnetization of magnetic materials, and magnetization is switched in the writing process. In conventional spintronic devices, ferromagnetic materials are used which have a magnetization dynamics timescale of around the nanoseconds, setting a limit for the switching speed. Increasing the magnetization switching speed has been one of the challenges in spintronic research. In this work we take advantage of the ultrafast magnetization dynamics in ferrimagnetic ma…
All-optical ultrafast magnetization switching in magnetic material thin film without the assistance of an applied external magnetic field is being explored for future ultrafast and energy-efficient magnetic storage and memories. It has been shown that femto-second light pulses induce magnetization reversal in a large variety of magnetic materials. However, so far, only GdFeCo-based ferrimagnetic thin films exhibit magnetization switching via a single optical pulse. Here we demonstrate the single-pulse switching of Co/Pt multilayers within a magnetic spin-valve structure ([Co/Pt] / Cu / GdFeCo)…
All-optical spin switching (AOS) represents a new frontier in magnetic storage technology -- spin manipulation without a magnetic field, -- but its underlying working principle is not well understood. Many AOS ferrimagnets such as GdFeCo are amorphous and renders the high-level first-principles study unfeasible. The crystalline half-metallic Heusler Mn$_2$RuGa presents an opportunity. Here we carry out hitherto the comprehensive density functional investigation into the material properties of Mn$_2$RuGa, and introduce two concepts - the spin anchor site and the optical active site - as two pil…
One fundamental obstacle to efficient ferromagnetic spintronics is magnetic precession, which intrinsically limits the dynamics of magnetic textures, We demonstrate that the domain wall precession fully vanishes with a record mobility when the net angular momentum is compensated (TAC) in DWs driven by spin-orbit torque in a ferrimagnetic GdFeCo/Pt track. We use transverse in-plane fields to reveal the internal structure of DWs and provide a robust and parameter-free measurement of TAC. Our results highlight the mechanism of faster and more efficient dynamics in materials with multiple spin lat…
Precise modeling of the magnetization dynamics of nanoparticles with finite size effects at fast varying temperatures is a computationally challenging task. Based on the Landau-Lifshitz-Bloch (LLB) equation we derive a coarse grained model for disordered ferrimagnets, which is both fast and accurate. First, we incorporate stochastic fluctuations to the existing ferrimagnetic LLB equation. Further, we derive a thermodynamic expression for the temperature dependent susceptibilities, which is essential to model finite size effects. Together with the zero field equilibrium magnetization the suscep…
Here we study both static and time-resolved dynamic magnetic properties of the compensated ferrimagnet from room temperature down to 10K, thus crossing the magnetic compensation temperature $T_{M}$. The behaviour is analysed with a model of a simple collinear ferrimagnet with uniaxial anisotropy and site-specific gyromagnetic ratios. We find a maximum zero-applied-field resonance frequency of $\sim$160GHz and a low intrinsic Gilbert damping $α$$\sim$0.02, making it a very attractive candidate for various spintronic applications.
Anomalous hysteresis loops of ferrimagnetic amorphous alloys in high magnetic field and in the vicinity of the compensation temperature have so far been explained by sample inhomogeneities. We obtain H-T magnetic phase diagram for ferrimagnetic GdFeCo alloy using a two-sublattice model in the paramagnetic rare-earth ion approximation and taking into account rare-earth (Gd) magnetic anisotropy. It is shown that if the magnetic anisotropy of the $f$-sublattice is larger than that of the $d$-sublattice, the tricritical point can be at higher temperature than the compensation point. The obtained p…
Single Pulse All Optical Helicity Independent Switching (AO-HIS) represents the ability to reverse the magnetic moment of a nanostructure using a femtosecond single laser pulse. It is an ultrafast method to manipulate magnetization without the use of any applied field. Since the first switching experiments carried on GdFeCo ferrimagnetic systems, single pulse AO-HIS has been restricted for a while to Gd-based alloys or Gd/FM bilayers where FM is a ferromagnetic layer. Only recently has AO-HIS been extended to a few other materials: MnRuGa ferrimagnetic Heusler alloys and Tb/Co multilayers with…
Degeneracy and trajectory control of spin eigenmodes excited by fs-optical pulses in a nearly compensated ferrimagnet
Lomonosov Moscow State University（莫斯科国立大学）；Russian Quantum Center（俄罗斯量子中心）；Prokhorov General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences（俄罗斯科学院普罗霍洛夫普通物理研究所）；Physics and Technology Institute, Vernadsky Crimean Federal University（维尔纳茨基克里米亚联邦大学物理与技术研究所）
From Ultrafast Demagnetization to Ultrafast Spintronics : a 30 years story
Université de Lorraine（洛林大学）；CNRS, Institut Jean Lamour（法国国家科学研究中心，让·拉穆尔研究所）；Department of Physics, Freie Universität Berlin（柏林自由大学物理系）；Center for Science and Innovation in Spintronics, Tohoku University（东北大学自旋电子学科学与创新中心）
Magnetic field driven domain wall dynamics in a ferrimagnetic GdFeCo thin film with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy is studied using low temperature magneto-optical Kerr microscopy. Measurements performed in a practically athermal condition allow for the direct experimental determination of the velocity ($ β= 0.30 \pm 0.03 $) and correlation length ($ ν= 1.3 \pm 0.3 $) exponents of the depinning transition. The whole family of exponents characterizing the transition is deduced, providing evidence that the depinning of magnetic domain walls is better described by the quenched Edwards-Wilkinso…
Centro Atómico Bariloche（巴里洛切原子中心）；Instituto Balseiro, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo–CNEA（巴尔塞罗研究所，门多萨国立大学-国家原子能委员会）；Instituto de Nanociencia y Materiales de Aragón (INMA-CSIC)（阿拉贡纳米与材料研究所）；Universidad de Zaragoza（萨拉戈萨大学）
Neutron scattering experiments have been performed to elucidate magnetic properties of the quasicrystal approximant Au$_{70}$Si$_{17}$Tb$_{13}$, consisting of icosahedral spin clusters in a body-centered-cubic lattice. Bulk magnetic measurements performed on the single crystalline sample unambiguously confirm long-range ordering at $T_{\rm C} = 11.6 \pm 1$ K. In contrast to the simple ferromagnetic response in the bulk measurements, single crystal neutron diffraction confirms a formation of intriguing non-collinear and non-coplanar magnetic order. The magnetic moment direction was found to be …
Ultrafast photo-induced phase transitions occurring under the impact of femtosecond laser pulses provide versatile opport unities for switching solids between distinctly-different crystalline, electronic, and magnetic states and thus modify their functional properties in a significant way. In this paper, we report on the laser-induced spin reorientation and Verwey phase transitions in a single crystalline ferrimagnetic magnetite Fe$_3$O$_4$. Using femtosecond optical and magneto-optical pump-probe techniques, we define the range of the initial sample temperatures and laser fluences when partia…
Atomically-sharp magnetic soliton in the square-net lattice EuRhAl$_{4}$Si$_{2}$
Rice University（莱斯大学）；Rice Center for Quantum Materials (RCQM), Rice University（莱斯大学量子材料中心）；Peter Grünberg Institut, Forschungzentrum Jülich & JARA（于利希研究中心彼得·格林贝格研究所与JARA）；Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University（罗格斯大学物理与天文系）；Keck Center for Quantum Magnetism, Rutgers University（罗格斯大学凯克量子磁学中心）；Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory（橡树岭国家实验室中子散射部）；Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie（柏林亥姆霍兹材料与能源中心）
