arXiv · 1511.05315
Itinerant and localized magnetization dynamics in antiferromagnetic Ho
Abstract
Using femtosecond time-resolved resonant magnetic x-ray diffraction at the Ho L3 absorption edge, we investigate the demagnetization dynamics in antiferromagnetically ordered metallic Ho after femtosecond optical excitation. Tuning the x-ray energy to the electric dipole (E1, 2p -> 5d) or quadrupole (E2, 2p -> 4f) transition allows us to selectively and independently study the spin dynamics of the itinerant 5d and localized 4f electronic subsystems via the suppression of the magnetic (2 1 3-tau ) satellite peak. We find demagnetization timescales very similar to ferromagnetic 4f systems, suggesting that the loss of magnetic order occurs via a similar spin-flip process in both cases. The simultaneous demagnetization of both subsystems demonstrates strong intra-atomic 4f-5d exchange coupling. In addition, an ultrafast lattice contraction due to the release of magnetostriction leads to a transient shift of the magnetic satellite peak.
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L. Rettig, C. Dornes, N. Thielemann-Kuehn, N. Pontius, H. Zabel, D. L. Schlagel, T. A. Lograsso, M. Chollet, A. Robert, M. Sikorski, S. Song, J. M. Glownia, C. Schuessler-Langeheine, S. L. Johnson, U. Staub. 2015-11-17. Itinerant and localized magnetization dynamics in antiferromagnetic Ho. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.116.257202
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