Light-induced local control of magnetic anisotropy and domain pattern in Co/Pt multilayers
Control of magnetic anisotropy is essential for the fabrication of next-generation devices in spintronics and magnetic memory. While conventional approaches such as material composition, thermal annealing, and ion bombardment are widely used, achieving spatially resolved, continuous control remains a challenge. Herein, we demonstrate a dual-regime, localized control over both transient magnetic states and permanent intrinsic properties in perpendicularly magnetized Co/Pt multilayers using ultra-short laser pulses. By employing a multi-scale approach combining Kerr microscopy, magnetic force microscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometry, we reveal that low-fluence irradiation enables a reversible, helicity-dependent accumulation of magnetic phases without altering the intrinsic quasistatic properties. Conversely, high-fluence exposure acts as localized thermal annealing that permanently hardens the magnetic system. This structural relaxation leads to a substantial enhancement of the effective perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, driving a twofold increase in the local coercive field and expanding the equilibrium stripe domain width. By offering both reversible spin manipulation and deterministic engineering of 2D magnetic landscapes, this work paves the way towards flexible, lithography-free anisotropy structuring for advanced spintronic applications.