Driving spin chirality by electron dynamics in laser-excited antiferromagnets

Abstract

Optical generation of complex spin textures is one of the most exciting challenges of modern spintronics. Here, we uncover a distinct physical mechanism for imprinting spin chirality into collinear magnets with short laser pulses. By simultaneously treating the laser-ignited evolution of electronic structure and magnetic order, we show that their intertwined dynamics can result in an emergence of quasi-stable chiral states. We find that laser-driven chirality does not require any auxiliary external fields or intrinsic spin-orbit interaction to exist, and it can survive on the time scale of nanoseconds even in the presence of thermal fluctuations, which makes the uncovered mechanism relevant for understanding various optical experiments on magnetic materials. Our findings open a new perspective at the interaction of complex chiral magnetism with light.

arXiv comment9+4 pages and 7+12 figures with supplementary materials

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• Quantum-classical approach to spin and charge pumping and the ensuing radiation in THz spintronics: Example of ultrafast-light-driven Weyl antiferromagnet Mn${}_3$Sn
• Ultrafast optical generation of antiferromagnetic meron-antimeron pairs with conservation of topological charge
• Parametrically driven THz magnon-pairs: predictions towards ultimately fast and minimally dissipative switching
• Photocontrol of spin scalar chirality in centrosymmetric itinerant magnets
• Laser-induced torques in spin spirals
• Microscopic theory of current-induced skyrmion transport and its application in disordered spin textures
• Quantum Magnetic Skyrmions on Kondo-type Lattices