Optically-induced magnetization switching in NiCo2O4 thin films using ultrafast lasers

Abstract

Recently, all-optical magnetization control has been garnering considerable attention in realizing next-generation ultrafast magnetic information devices. Here, employing a magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) microscope, we observed the laser-induced magnetization switching of ferrimagnetic oxide NiCo2O4 (NCO) epitaxial thin films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, where the sample was pumped at 1030-nm laser pulses, and magnetic domain images were acquired via the MOKE microscope with a white light emitting diode. Laser pulses irradiated an NCO thin film at various temperatures from 300 K to 400 K while altering the parameters of pulse interval, fluence, and the number of pulses with the absence of the external magnetic field. We observed accumulative all-optical switching at 380 K and above. Our observation of oxide NCO thin films facilitates the realization of chemically stable magnetization switching using ultrafast lasers, and without applying a magnetic field.

6 pages, 6 figures

References in corpus (4)

• All-optical control of ferromagnetic thin films and nanostructures
• Perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy in Conducting NiCo2O4 Films from Spin-Lattice Coupling
• Spin and orbital magnetic moments in perpendicularly magnetized Ni${}_{1-x}$Co${}_{2+y}$O${}_{4-z}$ epitaxial thin films: Effects of site-dependent cation valence states
• Ultrafast demagnetization in NiCo2O4 thin films probed by time-resolved microscopy

Cited by in corpus (5)

• All-optical helicity-dependent switching in NiCo${}_2$O${}_4$ thin films
• High-mobility inertial domain walls driven by spin-transfer torque in a ferrimagnetic spinel oxide
• Exploring the impact of the inverse Faraday effect on all-optical helicity-dependent magnetization switching
• Type-II-like ultrafast demagnetization behavior in NiCo2O4 thin films
• Recent Progress in Ultrafast Dynamics of Transition-Metal Compounds Studied by Time-Resolved X-ray Techniques