First-principles and model simulation of all-optical spin reversal

Abstract

All-optical spin switching is a potential trailblazer for information storage and communication at an unprecedented fast rate and free of magnetic fields. However, the current wisdom is largely based on semiempirical models of effective magnetic fields and heat pulses, so it is difficult to provide high-speed design protocols for actual devices. Here, we carry out a massively parallel first-principles and model calculation for thirteen spin systems and magnetic layers, free of any effective field, to establish a simpler and alternative paradigm of laser-induced ultrafast spin reversal and to point out a path to a full-integrated photospintronic device. It is the interplay of the optical selection rule and sublattice spin orderings that underlines seemingly irreconcilable helicity-dependent/independent switchings. Using realistic experimental parameters, we predict that strong ferrimagnets, in particular, Laves phase C15 rare-earth alloys, meet the telecommunication energy requirement of 10 fJ, thus allowing a cost-effective subpicosecond laser to switch spin in the GHz region.

arXiv comment23 pages, 6 figures and one table

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Cited by in corpus (9)

• Perspective on Metallic Antiferromagnets
• Roles of heating and helicity in ultrafast all-optical magnetization switching in TbFeCo
• Understanding all-optical spin switching: Comparison between experiment and theory
• Spin-orbit torque-mediated spin-wave excitation as an alternative paradigm for femtomagnetism
• First-principles insights into all-optical spin switching in the half-metallic Heusler ferrimagnet Mn${}_2$RuGa
• Manifestation of intra-atomic 5d6s-4f exchange coupling in photoexcited gadolinium
• Demagnetizing fields in all-optical switching
• All-optical spin switching under different spin configurations
• Timescales and contribution of heating and helicity effect in helicity-dependent all-optical switching