1. All-optical control of ferromagnetic thin films and nanostructures
- Author
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C-H Lambert, Mirko Cinchetti, Yukiko Takahashi, Yeshaiahu Fainman, Martin Aeschlimann, Stéphane Mangin, Gregory Malinowski, B. S. D. Ch. S. Varaprasad, Kazuhiro Hono, Michel Hehn, Eric E. Fullerton, Center for Magnetic Recording Research, University of California [San Diego] (UC San Diego), University of California-University of California, Institut Jean Lamour (IJL), Université de Lorraine (UL)-Institut de Chimie du CNRS (INC)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Tsukuba = University of Tsukuba, Department of Physics and OPTIMAS Research Center, TU Kaiserslautern, Department of Electrical Engineering - University of California, Department of Physics and Research Center (OPTIMAS), and Technische Universität Kaiserslautern (TU Kaiserslautern)
- Subjects
Inverse Faraday effect ,Condensed Matter - Materials Science ,Multidisciplinary ,Nanostructure ,Materials science ,business.industry ,Magnetism ,Ferromagnetic thin films ,Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci) ,FOS: Physical sciences ,02 engineering and technology ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,01 natural sciences ,All optical ,Ferromagnetism ,Data memory ,0103 physical sciences ,[PHYS.COND.CM-MS]Physics [physics]/Condensed Matter [cond-mat]/Materials Science [cond-mat.mtrl-sci] ,Optoelectronics ,Thin film ,010306 general physics ,0210 nano-technology ,business - Abstract
The interplay of light and magnetism has been a topic of interest since the original observations of Faraday and Kerr where magnetic materials affect the light polarization. While these effects have historically been exploited to use light as a probe of magnetic materials there is increasing research on using polarized light to alter or manipulate magnetism. For instance deterministic magnetic switching without any applied magnetic fields using laser pulses of the circular polarized light has been observed for specific ferrimagnetic materials. Here we demonstrate, for the first time, optical control of ferromagnetic materials ranging from magnetic thin films to multilayers and even granular films being explored for ultra-high-density magnetic recording. Our finding shows that optical control of magnetic materials is a much more general phenomenon than previously assumed. These results challenge the current theoretical understanding and will have a major impact on data memory and storage industries via the integration of optical control of ferromagnetic bits., Comment: 21 pages, 11 figures
- Published
- 2014