arXiv subjects

Evangelos Th. Papaioannou

Publications and source records attributed to Evangelos Th. Papaioannou.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2023

Shaping THz emission spectra by using sub-wavelength nanopatterned spintronic THz emitters

We show in theory and experiment that in periodically patterned spintronic THz emitters (STE), charge dynamics can modify the emission spectrum in a well-controlled way. Characterization of sub-wavelength patterned STE at frequencies up to 30 THz shows that the STE's emission spectrum systematically changes with emitter size. The spectral intensity exhibits significant reductions at frequencies below 4 THz, accompanied by pronounced dips at around 15 THz and 24 THz. While reducing the STE size enhances the modulation of all features, it does not alter the dip frequencies. The effect originates from the charging of the structure's edges by THz currents, causing a backflow that interferes with the primary current pulse. An analytical model quantitatively reproduces these results and agrees well with control experiments. Our findings enable a detailed investigation of the charge dynamics in STE and provide additional means for controlled shaping of STE emission spectra by nano patterning.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2022

Charge dynamics in spintronic THz emitters

We show that to correctly describe the ultrafast currents in spintronic THz emitters it is necessary to take charge equilibration into account. The charge current which is locally induced by a fs laser pulse and the inverse spin-Hall effect (ISHE) leads to ultrafast charging phenomena at the edge of the illuminated area. Subsequent discharging leads to a current backflow with a delay and a time constant that mainly depends on the conductivity of the emitter. On the one hand, only this delayed charge equilibration allows the detection of the primary current pulse via THz emission because an instantaneous backflow would cancel any far field emission. On the other hand, especially for longer light pulses the backflow can significantly change the emitted spectrum compared to the initial spin-current pulse by suppressing low frequency components. For the analysis of spin physics based on the charge current profile it is important to understand that the timing of the spin current cannot be inferred from the charge current unless the contribution by the ISHE and the backflow can be deconvoluted.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2022

THz emission from Fe/Pt spintronic emitters with L1$_{0}$-FePt alloyed interface

Recent developments in nanomagnetism and spintronics have enabled the use of ultrafast spin physics for terahertz (THz) emission. Spintronic THz emitters, consisting of ferromagnetic FM / non-magnetic (NM) thin film heterostructures, have demonstrated impressive properties for the use in THz spectroscopy and have great potential in scientific and industrial applications. In this work, we focus on the impact of the FM/NM interface on the THz emission by investigating Fe/Pt bilayers with engineered interfaces. In particular, we intentionally modify the Fe/Pt interface by inserting an ordered L1$_{0}$-FePt alloy interlayer. Subsequently, we establish that a Fe/L1$_{0}$-FePt (2\,nm)/Pt configuration is significantly superior to a Fe/Pt bilayer structure, regarding THz emission amplitude. The latter depends on the extent of alloying on either side of the interface. The unique trilayer structure opens new perspectives in terms of material choices for the next generation of spintronic THz emitters.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2022

Steering light with magnetic textures

We study the steering of visible light using a combination of magneto-optical effects and the reconfigurability of magnetic domains in Yttrium-Iron Garnet films. The spontaneously formed stripe domains are used as a field-controlled optical grating, allowing for active spatiotemporal control of light. We discuss the basic ideas behind the approach and provide a quantitative description of the field dependence of the obtained light patterns. Finally, we calculate and experimentally verify the efficiency of our magneto-optical grating.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2020

Enhanced THz emission from spintronic Fe/Pt emitters through crystal growth optimization

We investigate the THz emission characteristics of ferromagnetic/non-magnetic metallic heterostructures, focusing on thin Fe/Pt bilayers. In particular, we report on the impact of optimized crystal growth of the epitaxial Fe layers on the THz emission amplitude and spectral bandwidth. We demonstrate an enhancement of the emitted intensity along with an expansion of the emission bandwidth. Both are related to reduced spin scattering and higher interface transmission. Our work provides a pathway for devicing optimal spintronic THz emitters based on epitaxial Fe. It also highlights how THz emission measurements can be utilized to characterize the changes in out-of-equilibrium spin current dynamics in metallic heterostructures, driven by subtle structural refinement.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2020

Correlation of interface transmission in THz spintronic emitters with spin mixing conductance in spin pumping experiments

The field of THz spintronics is a novel direction in the research field of spintronics that combines magnetism with optical physics and ultrafast photonics. The experimental scheme of the field involves the use of femtosecond laser pulses to trigger ultrafast spin and charge dynamics in bilayers composed of ferromagnetic (FM) and non-magnetic (NM) thin films where the NM layer features a strong spin-orbit coupling. The key technological and scientific challenges of THz spintronic emitters is to increase their intensity and frequency bandwidth. To achieve this the control of the source of the radiation, namely the transport of the ultrafast spin current is required. However, the transfer of a spin current from a FM to a NM layer is a highly interface-sensitive effect. In this work we study the properties of the spin current transport through the interface measuring the strength of the THz emission and compare it to the effective spin mixing conductance, one of the key concepts in the spin current transport through interfaces. The results show an enhancement of the spin mixing conductance for interfaces with higher degree of epitaxy similarly to the improvement of the THz emission. The proportionality between spin mixing conductance and THz emission can define new directions in engineering the emission of spintronic THz emitters.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2019

Enhancement of spin mixing conductance in La$_{0.7}$Sr$_{0.3}$MnO$_{3}$/LaNiO$_{3}$/SrRuO$_{3}$ heterostructures

We investigate spin pumping and the effective spin mixing conductance in heterostructures based on magnetic oxide trilayers composed of La$_{0.7}$Sr$_{0.3}$MnO$_3$ (LSMO), LaNiO$_3$ (LNO), and SrRuO$_3$ (SRO). The heterostructures serve as a model system for an estimation of the effective spin mixing conductance at the different interfaces. Our results show that by introducing a LNO interlayer between LSMO and SRO, the total effective spin mixing conductance increases due to the much more favourable interface of LSMO/LNO with respect to the LSMO/SRO interface. Neverheless, the spin current into the SRO does not decrease because of the spin diffusion length of $λ_\text{LNO}\approx$3.3 nm in the LNO. This value is two times higher than that of SRO. Our results show the potential of using oxide interfaces to tune the effective spin mixing conductance in heterostructures and to bring novel functionalities into spintronics by implementing complex oxides.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2019

Modification of spintronic terahertz emitter performance through defect engineering

Spintronic ferromagnetic/non-magnetic heterostructures are novel sources for the generation of THz radiation based on spin-to-charge conversion in the layers. The key technological and scientific challenge of THz spintronic emitters is to increase their intensity and frequency bandwidth. Our work reveals the factors to engineer spintronic Terahertz generation by introducing the scattering lifetime and the interface transmission for spin polarized, non-equilibrium electrons. We clarify the influence of the electron-defect scattering lifetime on the spectral shape and the interface transmission on the THz amplitude, and how this is linked to structural defects of bilayer emitters. The results of our study define a roadmap of the properties of emitted as well as detected THz-pulse shapes and spectra that is essential for future applications of metallic spintronic THz emitters.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2019

Broadband enhancement of the magneto-optical activity of hybrid Au loaded Bi:YIG

We unravel the underlying near-field mechanism of the enhancement of the magneto-optical activity of bismuth-substituted yttrium iron garnet films (Bi:YIG) loaded with gold nanoparticles. The experimental results show that the embedded gold nanoparticles lead to a broadband enhancement of the magneto-optical activity with respect to the activity of the bare Bi:YIG films. Full vectorial near- and far-field simulations demonstrate that this broadband enhancement is the result of a magneto-optically enabled cross-talking of orthogonal localized plasmon resonances. Our results pave the way to the on-demand design of the magneto-optical properties of hybrid magneto-plasmonic circuitry.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2019

Thickness dependent enhancement of the polar magneto-optic Kerr effect in Co magnetoplasmonic nanostructures

Large surface plasmon polariton assisted enhancement of the magneto-optical activity has been observed in the past, through spectral measurements of the polar Kerr rotation in Co hexagonal antidot arrays. Here, we report a strong thickness dependence, which is unexpected given that the Kerr effect is considered a surface sensitive phenomena. The maximum Kerr rotation was found to be -0.66 degrees for a 100 nm thick sample. This thickness is far above the typical optical penetration depth of a continuous Co film, demonstrating that in the presence of plasmons the critical lengthscales are dramatically altered, and in this case extended. We therefore establish that the plasmon enhanced Kerr effect does not only depend on the in-plane structuring of the sample, but also on the out-of-plane geometrical parameters, which is an important consideration in magnetoplasmonic device design.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2018

Separation of the two-magnon scattering contribution to damping for the determination of the spin mixing conductance

We present angle dependent measurements of the damping properties of epitaxial Fe layers with MgO, Al and Pt capping layers. Based on the preferential distribution of lattice defects following the crystal symmetry, we make use of a model of the defect density to separate the contribution of two-magnon scattering to the damping from the isotropic contribution originating in the spin pumping effect, the viscous Gilbert damping and the magnetic proximity effect. The separation of the two-magnon contribution, which depends strongly on the defect density, allows for the measurement of a value of the effective spin mixing conductance which is closer to the value exclusively due to spin pumping. The influence of the defect density for bilayers systems due to the different capping layers and to the unavoidable spread in defect density from sample to sample is thus removed. This shows the potential of studying spin pumping phenomena in fully ordered systems in which this separation is possible, contrary to polycrystalline or amorphous metallic thin films.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2018

Efficient Terahertz Generation Using Fe/Pt Spintronic Emitters Pumped at Different Wavelengths

Recent studies in spintronics have highlighted ultrathin magnetic metallic multilayers as a novel and very promising class of broadband terahertz radiation sources. Such spintronic multilayers consist of ferromagnetic (FM) and non-magnetic (NM) thin films. When triggered by ultrafast laser pulses, they generate pulsed THz radiation due to the inverse spin-Hall effect, a mechanism that converts optically driven spin currents from the magnetized FM layer into transient transverse charge currents in the NM layer, resulting in THz emission. As THz emitters, FM/NM multilayers have been intensively investigated so far only at 800-nm excitation wavelength using femtosecond Ti:sapphire lasers. In this work, we demonstrate that an optimized spintronic bilayer structure of 2-nm Fe and 3-nm Pt grown on 500 μm MgO substrate is just as effective as a THz radiation source when excited either at λ = 800 nm or at λ = 1550 nm by ultrafast laser pulses from a fs fiber laser (pulse width close to 100 fs, repetition rate around 100 MHz). Even with low incident power levels, the Fe/Pt spintronic emitter exhibits efficient generation of THz radiation at both excitation wavelengths. The efficient THz emitter operation at 1550 nm facilitates the integration of such spintronic emitters in THz systems driven by relatively low cost and compact fs fiber lasers without the need for frequency conversion.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2018

A Microscopic Explanation of Microwave Spin Pumping

We contend that Microwave Spin Pumping was first predicted and observed - albeit using a different and more sensitive detection mechanism than Inverse Spin Hall Effect - in the 1950's. This discovery was the founding step in the widely used analytical tool that is now known as Dynamic Nuclear Polarisation. Recognising this hitherto unsung connection between 20th Century Magnetic Resonance and 21st Century Spintronics not only helps to explain and unify contemporary metallic spin pumping observations: it is also the key to unlocking the immense and very sophisticated toolbox of Magnetic Resonance and placing it at the disposal of the future of Spintronics.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2018

Determination of the spin Hall angle in single-crystalline Pt films from spin pumping experiments

We report on the determination of the spin Hall angle and the identification of the role of the interface roughness for the inverse spin Hall effect (ISHE) in ultra-clean, defect-reduced epitaxial Pt films. By applying vector network analyzer ferromagnetic resonance spectroscopy to a series of single crystalline Fe (12 nm) /Pt (t$_\text{Pt}$) bilayers we determine the real part of the spin mixing conductance $(4.4\:\pm\:0.2)\cdot 10^{19}\: $m$^{-2}$ and reveal a very small spin diffusion length in the epitaxial Pt $(1.1\:\pm\:0.1)$ nm film. We investigate the spin pumping and ISHE in a stripe microstucture excited by a microwave coplanar waveguide (CPW) antenna. By using their different angular dependencies, we distinguish between spin rectification effects and the inverse spin Hall effect. The relatively large value of the spin Hall angle $(5.7 \pm 1.4)\: \% $ hints that interface engineering by epitaxially grown non-magnetic materials can increase the spin-to-charge current conversion efficiency.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2018

Optimized Spintronic Terahertz Emitters Based on Epitaxial Grown Fe/Pt Layer Structures

We report on generation of pulsed broadband terahertz radiation utilizing the inverse spin Hall effect in Fe/Pt bilayers on MgO and sapphire substrates. The emitter was optimized with respect to layer thickness, growth parameters, substrates and geometrical arrangement. The experimentally determined optimum layer thicknesses were in qualitative agreement with simulations of the spin current induced in the ferromagnetic layer. Our model takes into account generation of spin polarization, spin diffusion and accumulation in Fe and Pt and electrical as well as optical properties of the bilayer samples. Using the device in a counterintuitive orientation a Si lens was attached to increase the collection efficiency of the emitter. The optimized emitter provided a bandwidth of up to 8 THz which was mainly limited by the low-temperature-grown GaAs (LT-GaAS) photoconductive antenna used as detector and the pulse length of the pump laser. The THz pulse length was as short as 220 fs for a sub 100 fs pulse length of the 800 nm pump laser. Average pump powers as low as 25 mW (at a repetition rate of 75 MHz) have been used for terahertz generation. This and the general performance make the spintronic terahertz emitter compatible with established emitters based on nonlinear generation methods.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2017

Spin-pumping through a varying-thickness MgO interlayer in Fe/Pt system

The spin-pumping mechanism is probed through a tunnelling MgO interlayer in Fe/Pt bilayers. We show by ferromagnetic resonance technique and spin-pumping experiments that spin currents can tunnel through the MgO interlayer for thickness up to 2~{nm} and can produce significant voltages in the Pt layer. The electrical detection of spin-pumping furthermore reveals the critical role of rectification and shunting effects on the generated voltages. The non zero spin current transport through a few monolayers of an insulating interlayer might initiate further studies on the role of very thin oxides in spin-pumping experiments.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2015

Light localisation and magneto-optic enhancement in Ni anti-dot arrays

The excitation of surface plasmons in magnetic nano-structures can strongly influence their magneto-optical properties. Here, we use photoemission electron microscopy to map the spatial distribution of the electric near-field on a nano-patterned magnetic surface that supports plasmon polaritons. By using different photon energies and polarization states of the incident light we reveal that the electric near-field is either concentrated in spots forming a hexagonal lattice with the same symmetry as the Ni nano-pattern or in stripes oriented along the $Γ$-K direction of the lattice and perpendicular to the polarization direction. We show that the polarization-dependent near-field enhancement on the patterned surface is directly correlated to both the excitation of surface plasmon polaritons on the patterned surface as well as the enhancement of the polar magneto-optical Kerr effect.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2014

Microwave-induced spin currents in ferromagnetic-insulator|normal-metal bilayer system

A microwave technique is employed to simultaneously examine the spin pumping and the spin Seebeck effect processes in a YIG|Pt bilayer system. The experimental results show that for these two processes, the spin current flows in opposite directions. The temporal dynamics of the longitudinal spin Seebeck effect exhibits that the effect depends on the diffusion of bulk thermal-magnons in the thermal gradient in the ferromagnetic-insulator|normal-metal system.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗