Multiscale dynamics of helicity-dependent all-optical magnetization reversal in ferromagnetic Co/Pt multilayers

R. Medapalli, D. Afanasiev, D. K. Kim, Y. Quessab, S. Manna, S. A. Montoya, A. Kirilyuk, Th. Rasing, A. V. Kimel, and E. E. Fullerton
Phys. Rev. B 96, 224421 – Published 15 December 2017

Abstract

Time-resolved magneto-optical imaging reveals that the dynamics of the helicity-dependent all-optical switching (HD-AOS) of Co/Pt ferromagnetic multilayers occurs on the time scales from nanoseconds to seconds. We find HD-AOS proceeds by two stages. First, for an optimized laser fluence, the ultrashort laser pulse demagnetizes the film to 25% of the initial magnetization. Subsequent laser pulses aids nucleation of small reversed domains. The observed nucleation is stochastic and independent of the helicity of laser light. At the second stage circularly polarized light breaks the degeneracy between the magnetic domains promoting a preferred direction of domain wall motion. One circular polarization results in a collapse of the reversed magnetic domains. The other polarization causes the growth of reversed magnetic domain from the nucleation sites, via deterministic displacement of the domain wall resulting in magnetization reversal. This mechanism is supported by further imaging studies of deterministic laser-induced displacement of the domain walls when excited by circularly polarized optical pulses.

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  • Received 7 July 2016
  • Revised 27 November 2017
  • Publisher error corrected 20 December 2017

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.96.224421

©2017 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Corrections

20 December 2017

Erratum

Publisher's Note: Multiscale dynamics of helicity-dependent all-optical magnetization reversal in ferromagnetic Co/Pt multilayers [Phys. Rev. B 96, 224421 (2017)]

R. Medapalli, D. Afanasiev, D. K. Kim, Y. Quessab, S. Manna, S. A. Montoya, A. Kirilyuk, Th. Rasing, A. V. Kimel, and E. E. Fullerton
Phys. Rev. B 96, 219902 (2017)

Authors & Affiliations

R. Medapalli1,*, D. Afanasiev2,3, D. K. Kim1, Y. Quessab1,4, S. Manna1, S. A. Montoya1, A. Kirilyuk2, Th. Rasing2, A. V. Kimel2,5, and E. E. Fullerton1

  • 1Center for Memory and Recording Research, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0401, USA
  • 2Radboud University, Institute for Molecules and Materials, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
  • 3Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, P.O. Box 5046, 2600 GA Delft, The Netherlands
  • 4Institut Jean Lamour, UMR CNRS 7198–Université de Lorraine–BP 70239, F-54506 Vandoeuvre, France
  • 5Moscow Technological University, MIREA, Vernadsky Ave. 78, Moscow 119454, Russia

  • *rmedapalli@ucsd.edu

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Issue

Vol. 96, Iss. 22 — 1 December 2017

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