Optical switching of magnetic order in few-layer CrSBr
Manipulating magnetism with light is crucial for both fundamental understanding and technological advancements of information storage devices. The layered antiferromagnet CrSBr, part of the recently emerging class of two-dimensional van der Waals magnets, offers a unique path towards optical control of magnetism via magneto-excitons, which allow optical readout of the spin alignment and also provide a strong absorption channel. Here, we use exciton absorption and photoluminescence to demonstrate optical switching of the magnetic order in bi- and trilayer CrSBr. Using a continuous-wave laser with a power as low as a few microwatts at near-critical external magnetic fields, we demonstrate both local and remote switching of the magnetic configuration in extended lateral domains and further employ this mechanism to deterministically prepare the zero-field magnetic configuration. Our results establish optical switching as a useful means of controlling magnetism in CrSBr, with potential applications in magneto-optoelectronic devices.