Ultrafast antiferromagnetic switching of Mn2Au with laser-induced optical torques

Jackson L. Ross; Paul Iulian Gavriloaea; Frank Freimuth; Theodoros Adamantopoulos; Yuriy Mokrousov; Richard F.L. Evans; Roy Chantrell; Rubén M. Otxoa; Oksana Chubykalo-Fesenko

doi:10.1038/s41524-024-01416-1

Ultrafast antiferromagnetic switching of Mn₂Au with laser-induced optical torques

Jackson L. Ross^*, Paul Iulian Gavriloaea, Frank Freimuth, Theodoros Adamantopoulos, Yuriy Mokrousov, Richard F.L. Evans, Roy Chantrell, Rubén M. Otxoa, Oksana Chubykalo-Fesenko

^*Corresponding author for this work

Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Ultrafast manipulation of the Néel vector in metallic antiferromagnets most commonly occurs by generation of spin-orbit (SOT) or spin-transfer (STT) torques. Here, we predict another possibility for antiferromagnetic domain switching by using novel laser optical torques (LOTs). We present results of atomistic spin dynamics simulations from the application of LOTs for all-optical switching of the Néel vector in the antiferromagnet Mn₂Au. The driving mechanism takes advantage of the sizeable exchange enhancement, characteristic of antiferromagnetic dynamics, allowing for picosecond 90 and 180-degree precessional toggle switching of the Néel vector with laser fluences on the order of mJ/cm². A special symmetry of these novel torques greatly minimises the over-shooting effect common to precessional spin switching by SOT and STT methods. We demonstrate the opportunity for LOTs to produce deterministic, non-toggle switching of single antiferromagnetic domains. Lastly, we show that even with sizeable ultrafast heating by laser in metallic systems, there exist a large interval of laser parameters where the LOT-assisted toggle and preferential switchings in magnetic grains have probabilities close to one. The proposed protocol could be used on its own for all-optical control of antiferromagnets for computing or memory storage, or in combination with other switching methods to lower energy barriers and/or to prevent over-shooting of the Néel vector.

Original language	English
Article number	234
Journal	npj Computational Materials
Volume	10
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41524-024-01416-1
Publication status	Published - 3 Oct 2024

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10.1038/s41524-024-01416-1

s41524-024-01416-1
© The Author(s) 2024
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Cite this

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title = "Ultrafast antiferromagnetic switching of Mn2Au with laser-induced optical torques",

abstract = "Ultrafast manipulation of the N{\'e}el vector in metallic antiferromagnets most commonly occurs by generation of spin-orbit (SOT) or spin-transfer (STT) torques. Here, we predict another possibility for antiferromagnetic domain switching by using novel laser optical torques (LOTs). We present results of atomistic spin dynamics simulations from the application of LOTs for all-optical switching of the N{\'e}el vector in the antiferromagnet Mn2Au. The driving mechanism takes advantage of the sizeable exchange enhancement, characteristic of antiferromagnetic dynamics, allowing for picosecond 90 and 180-degree precessional toggle switching of the N{\'e}el vector with laser fluences on the order of mJ/cm2. A special symmetry of these novel torques greatly minimises the over-shooting effect common to precessional spin switching by SOT and STT methods. We demonstrate the opportunity for LOTs to produce deterministic, non-toggle switching of single antiferromagnetic domains. Lastly, we show that even with sizeable ultrafast heating by laser in metallic systems, there exist a large interval of laser parameters where the LOT-assisted toggle and preferential switchings in magnetic grains have probabilities close to one. The proposed protocol could be used on its own for all-optical control of antiferromagnets for computing or memory storage, or in combination with other switching methods to lower energy barriers and/or to prevent over-shooting of the N{\'e}el vector.",

author = "Ross, {Jackson L.} and Gavriloaea, {Paul Iulian} and Frank Freimuth and Theodoros Adamantopoulos and Yuriy Mokrousov and Evans, {Richard F.L.} and Roy Chantrell and Otxoa, {Rub{\'e}n M.} and Oksana Chubykalo-Fesenko",

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AU - Ross, Jackson L.

AU - Gavriloaea, Paul Iulian

AU - Freimuth, Frank

AU - Adamantopoulos, Theodoros

AU - Mokrousov, Yuriy

AU - Evans, Richard F.L.

AU - Chantrell, Roy

AU - Otxoa, Rubén M.

AU - Chubykalo-Fesenko, Oksana

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AB - Ultrafast manipulation of the Néel vector in metallic antiferromagnets most commonly occurs by generation of spin-orbit (SOT) or spin-transfer (STT) torques. Here, we predict another possibility for antiferromagnetic domain switching by using novel laser optical torques (LOTs). We present results of atomistic spin dynamics simulations from the application of LOTs for all-optical switching of the Néel vector in the antiferromagnet Mn2Au. The driving mechanism takes advantage of the sizeable exchange enhancement, characteristic of antiferromagnetic dynamics, allowing for picosecond 90 and 180-degree precessional toggle switching of the Néel vector with laser fluences on the order of mJ/cm2. A special symmetry of these novel torques greatly minimises the over-shooting effect common to precessional spin switching by SOT and STT methods. We demonstrate the opportunity for LOTs to produce deterministic, non-toggle switching of single antiferromagnetic domains. Lastly, we show that even with sizeable ultrafast heating by laser in metallic systems, there exist a large interval of laser parameters where the LOT-assisted toggle and preferential switchings in magnetic grains have probabilities close to one. The proposed protocol could be used on its own for all-optical control of antiferromagnets for computing or memory storage, or in combination with other switching methods to lower energy barriers and/or to prevent over-shooting of the Néel vector.

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