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Delocalized carbon-based radical species with unpaired spin, such as the phenalenyl (PLY) radical, have opened avenues for developing multifunctional organic spintronic devices. Using direct laser writing and in situ deposition, we successfully fabricated Cu-PLY- and Zn-PLY-based organic magnetic tunnel junctions (OMTJs) with improved morphology and a reduced junction area of 3 × 8 μm2. The nonlinear and weakly temperature-dependent current–voltage (I–V) characteristics in combination with the low organic barrier height suggest tunneling as the dominant transport mechanism in the structurally and dimensionally optimized OMTJs. Cu-PLY-based OMTJs show significant magnetoresistance up to 14% at room temperature due to the formation of hybrid states at the metal–molecule interfaces called “spinterface”, which reveals the importance of spin-dependent interfacial modification in OMTJs’ design. Additionally, at high bias, in the absence of a magnetic field, OMTJ shows stable voltage-driven resistive switching. Cu-PLY having spin 1/2 with net magnetic moment demonstrates magnetic hardening between the surface molecule at the Co interface and gives rise to stable MR, which suggests its use as a feasible and scalable platform for building molecular-scale quantum memristors and processors.

Magneto-optical (MO) effects, viz. magnetically induced changes in light intensity or polarization upon reflection from or transmission through a magnetic sample, were discovered over a century and a half ago. Initially they played a crucially relevant role in unveiling the fundamentals of electromagnetism and quantum mechanics. A more broad-based relevance and wide-spread use of MO methods, however, remained quite limited until the 1960s due to a lack of suitable, reliable and easy-to-operate light sources. The advent of Laser technology and the availability of other novel light sources led to an enormous expansion of MO measurement techniques and applications that continues to this day (see section 1). The here-assembled roadmap article is intended to provide a meaningful survey over many of the most relevant recent developments, advances, and emerging research directions in a rather condensed form, so that readers can easily access a significant overview about this very dynamic research field. While light source technology and other experimental developments were crucial in the establishment of today's magneto-optics, progress also relies on an ever-increasing theoretical understanding of MO effects from a quantum mechanical perspective (see section 2), as well as using electromagnetic theory and modelling approaches (see section 3) to enable quantitatively reliable predictions for ever more complex materials, metamaterials, and device geometries. The latest advances in established MO methodologies and especially the utilization of the MO Kerr effect (MOKE) are presented in sections 4 (MOKE spectroscopy), 5 (higher order MOKE effects), 6 (MOKE microscopy), 8 (high sensitivity MOKE), 9 (generalized MO ellipsometry), and 20 (Cotton-Mouton effect in two-dimensional materials). In addition, MO effects are now being investigated and utilized in spectral ranges, to which they originally seemed completely foreign, as those of synchrotron radiation x-rays (see section 14 on three-dimensional magnetic characterization and section 16 on light beams carrying orbital angular momentum) and, very recently, the terahertz (THz) regime (see section 18 on THz MOKE and section 19 on THz ellipsometry for electron paramagnetic resonance detection). Magneto-optics also demonstrates its strength in a unique way when combined with femtosecond laser pulses (see section 10 on ultrafast MOKE and section 15 on magneto-optics using x-ray free electron lasers), facilitating the very active field of time-resolved MO spectroscopy that enables investigations of phenomena like spin relaxation of non-equilibrium photoexcited carriers, transient modifications of ferromagnetic order, and photo-induced dynamic phase transitions, to name a few. Recent progress in nanoscience and nanotechnology, which is intimately linked to the achieved impressive ability to reliably fabricate materials and functional structures at the nanoscale, now enables the exploitation of strongly enhanced MO effects induced by light-matter interaction at the nanoscale (see section 12 on magnetoplasmonics and section 13 on MO metasurfaces). MO effects are also at the very heart of powerful magnetic characterization techniques like Brillouin light scattering and time-resolved pump-probe measurements for the study of spin waves (see section 7), their interactions with acoustic waves (see section 11), and ultra-sensitive magnetic field sensing applications based on nitrogen-vacancy centres in diamond (see section 17)., Despite our best attempt to represent the field of magneto-optics accurately and do justice to all its novel developments and its diversity, the research area is so extensive and active that there remains great latitude in deciding what to include in an article of this sort, which in turn means that some areas might not be adequately represented here. However, we feel that the 20 sections that form this 2022 magneto-optics roadmap article, each written by experts in the field and addressing a specific subject on only two pages, provide an accurate snapshot of where this research field stands today. Correspondingly, it should act as a valuable reference point and guideline for emerging research directions in modern magneto-optics, as well as illustrate the directions this research field might take in the foreseeable future., Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 55 (46), ISSN:0022-3727, ISSN:1361-6463

Magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) is a leading contender for next generation high-density nonvolatile memory technology. Fast and efficient switching of MTJs between different resistance states is a challenging problem, which can be tackled by using an unconventional stimulus-a femtosecond laser pulse. Herein, we report an experimental study of the laser-induced magnetization dynamics in a Co

Polaritons can provide strong optical field enhancement allowing to boostlight-matter interaction. Here, we experimentally observe enhancement ofmid-infrared second-harmonic generation (SHG) using grating-coupled surfacephonon polaritons of the 6H-SiC surface. In our experiment, we measure the SHGalong the polariton dispersion by changing the incidence angle of theexcitation beam. We observe hybridization between the propagating surfacephonon polaritons and localized plasmon resonances in the gold grating,evidenced by the modification of the polariton dispersion as we change the arearatio of grating and substrate. Design options for engineering theplasmon-phonon polariton hybridization are discussed. Overall, we find a ratherlow yield of polariton-enhanced SHG in this geometry compared to prism-couplingand nanostructures, and discuss possible origins.

The enigmatic interplay between electronic and magnetic phenomena observed in many early experiments and outlined in Maxwell’s equations propelled the development of modern electromagnetism1. Today, the fully controlled evolution of the electric field of ultrashort laser pulses enables the direct and ultrafast tuning of the electronic properties of matter, which is the cornerstone of light-wave electronics2–7. By contrast, owing to the lack of first-order interaction between light and spin, the magnetic properties of matter can only be affected indirectly and on much longer timescales, through a sequence of optical excitations and subsequent rearrangement of the spin structure8–16. Here we introduce the regime of ultrafast coherent magnetism and show how the magnetic properties of a ferromagnetic layer stack can be manipulated directly by the electric-field oscillations of light, reducing the magnetic response time to an external stimulus by two orders of magnitude. To track the unfolding dynamics in real time, we develop an attosecond time-resolved magnetic circular dichroism detection scheme, revealing optically induced spin and orbital momentum transfer in synchrony with light-field-driven coherent charge relocation17. In tandem with ab initio quantum dynamical modelling, we show how this mechanism enables the simultaneous control of electronic and magnetic properties that are essential for spintronic functionality. Our study unveils light-field coherent control of spin dynamics and macroscopic magnetic moments in the initial non-dissipative temporal regime and establishes optical frequencies as the speed limit of future coherent spintronic applications, spin transistors and data storage media. The magnetic properties of a ferromagnetic layer stack are controlled on attosecond timescales through optically induced spin and orbital momentum transfer, demonstrating a coherent regime of ultrafast magnetism.

All-optical ferromagnetic resonance (AO-FMR) is a powerful tool for the local detection of micromagnetic parameters, such as magnetic anisotropy, Gilbert damping or spin stiffness. In this work we demonstrate that the AO-FMR method can be used in thin films of yttrium iron garnet (YIG) if a metallic capping layer (Au, Pt) is deposited on top of the film. Magnetization precession is triggered by heating of the metallic layer with femtosecond laser pulses. The heat pulse modifies the magneto-crystalline anisotropy of the YIG film and shifts the quasi-equilibrium orientation of the magnetization, which results in precessional magnetization dynamics. The laser-induced magnetization precession corresponds to a uniform (Kittel) magnon mode, with the precession frequency determined by the magnetic anisotropy of the material as well as the external magnetic field, and the damping time set by a Gilbert damping parameter. The AO-FMR method thus enables measuring local magnetic properties, with a resolution given by the laser spot size.

THz-spectroscopy is an attractive imaging tool for scientific research, especially in life science, offering non-destructive interaction with matter due to its low photon energies. However, wavelengths above $100{\mu}m$ principally limit its spatial resolution in the far-field by diffraction to this regime, making it not sufficient to image biological cells in the micrometer scale. Therefore, super-resolution imaging techniques are required to overcome this restriction. Near-field-imaging using spintronic emitters offers the most feasible approach because of its simplicity and potential for wide-ranging applications. In our study, we investigate THz-radiation generated by fs-laser-pulses in CoFeB/Pt heterostructures, based on spin currents, detected by commercial LT-GaAs Auston switches. The spatial resolution is evaluated applying a 2D scanning technique with motorized stages allowing scanning steps in the sub-micrometer range. By applying near-field imaging we can increase the spatial resolution to the dimensions of the laser spot size in the micrometer scale. For this purpose, the spintronic emitter is directly evaporated on a gold test pattern separated by a 300 nm spacer layer. Moving these structures with respect to the femtosecond laser spot which generates the THz radiation allows for resolution determination using the knife-edge method. We observe a full-width half-maximum THz beam diameter of $4.9(4){\mu}$m at 1 THz. The possibility to deposit spintronic emitter heterostructures on simple glass substrates makes them an interesting candidate for near-field imaging for a large number of applications., Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures

The anomalous Hall effect (AHE) is a fundamental spintronic charge-to-charge-current conversion phenomenon and closely related to spin-to-charge-current conversion by the spin Hall effect. Future high-speed spintronic devices will crucially rely on such conversion phenomena at terahertz (THz) frequencies. Here, it is revealed that the AHE remains operative from DC up to 40 THz with a flat frequency response in thin films of three technologically relevant magnetic materials: DyCo

Spin waves can carry information that could be used for data processing, but producing and controlling them can be challenging. Now it is possible to generate short-wavelength coherent spin waves that can travel at high speed over a long distance.

Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd. Magnonics is a budding research field in nanomagnetism and nanoscience that addresses the use of spin waves (magnons) to transmit, store, and process information. The rapid advancements of this field during last one decade in terms of upsurge in research papers, review articles, citations, proposals of devices as well as introduction of new sub-topics prompted us to present the first roadmap on magnonics. This is a collection of 22 sections written by leading experts in this field who review and discuss the current status besides presenting their vision of future perspectives. Today, the principal challenges in applied magnonics are the excitation of sub-100 nm wavelength magnons, their manipulation on the nanoscale and the creation of sub-micrometre devices using low-Gilbert damping magnetic materials and its interconnections to standard electronics. To this end, magnonics offers lower energy consumption, easier integrability and compatibility with CMOS structure, reprogrammability, shorter wavelength, smaller device features, anisotropic properties, negative group velocity, non-reciprocity and efficient tunability by various external stimuli to name a few. Hence, despite being a young research field, magnonics has come a long way since its early inception. This roadmap asserts a milestone for future emerging research directions in magnonics, and hopefully, it will inspire a series of exciting new articles on the same topic in the coming years.

Optically induced spin transfer (OISTR) is a pathway to control magnetization dynamics in complex materials on femto- to attosecond timescales. The direct interaction of the laser field with the material creates transient nonequilibrium states, which can exhibit an efficient spin transfer between different magnetic subsystems. How far this spin manipulation via OISTR is a general phenomenon or restricted to a subset of materials with specific properties is an open experimental and theoretical question. Using time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr measurements and time-dependent density functional theory we investigate OISTR in Heusler compounds. We show that the half-Heusler materials NiMnSb and CoMnSb exhibit strong signatures of OISTR, whereas this is less pronounced in the full-Heusler compounds Co2MnSi, Co2FeSi, and Co2FeAl in agreement with ab initio calculations. Our work opens up a systematic path for coherent manipulation of spin dynamics by direct light-matter interaction.

With our experiment we demonstrate all-optical control of magnetization in a ferromagnet with an unprecedented sub-femtosecond time resolution. The reported results open the doors to a new generation of spintronic devices with petahertz clock-rates. (C) 2020 The Author(s)

The inverse Spin Hall effect offers a promising approach for the generation of intense broadband terahertz radiation from optically driven ultrathin magnetic samples. Here, we present our approach for tailoring the spatial and spectral emission properties of such spintronic thin film systems, utilizing terahertz resonator designs.

Using spatial light interference of ultrafast laser pulses, we generate a lateral modulation in the magnetization profile of an otherwise uniformly magnetized film, whose magnetic excitation spectrum is monitored via the coherent and resonant interaction with elastic waves. We find an unusual dependence of the magnetoelastic coupling as the externally applied magnetic field is angle- and field-tuned relative to the wave vector of the magnetization modulation, which can be explained by the emergence of spatially inhomogeneous spin-wave modes. In this regard, the spatial light interference methodology can be seen as a user-configurable, temporally windowed, on-demand magnonic crystal, potentially of arbitrary two-dimensional shape, which allows control and selectivity of the spatial distribution of spin waves. Calculations of spin waves using a variety of methods, demonstrated here using the plane-wave method and micromagnetic simulation, can identify the spatial distribution and associated energy scales of each excitation, which opens the door to a number of excitation methodologies beyond our chosen elastic wave excitation.

We investigate experimentally and theoretically the magnetization reversal process in one-dimensional magnonic structures composed of permalloy nanowires of the two different widths and finite length arranged in a periodic and quasiperiodic order. The main features of the hysteresis loop are determined by different shape anisotropies of the component elements and the dipolar interactions between them. We showed, that the dipolar interactions between nanowires forming a ribbon can be controlled by change a distance between the neighboring ribbons. The quasiperiodic order can influence the hysteresis loop by introduction additional tiny switching steps when the dipolar interactions are sufficiently strong., 10 pages, 7 figures

The enigmatic interplay between electronic and magnetic phenomena observed in many early experiments and outlined in Maxwell's equations propelled the development of modern electromagnetism

The anomalous Hall effect (AHE) is a fundamental spintronic charge-to-charge-current conversion phenomenon and closely related to spin-to-charge-current conversion by the spin Hall effect. Future h ...

Recently, a new quantum phase, the topological insulator, has been vividly investigated in a variety of materials. Its unique bandstructure allows for optical generation and control of spin-polarized currents based on the circular photogalvanic effect. In this paper, we generate and distinguish the different photocurrent contributions via the the polarization of the driving light wave. We discuss the helicity-dependent spin-polarized current and the polarization independent thermoelectric current as spatially resolved maps, focusing on the influence of the topological insulator/metallic contact interface. We observe for both current contributions a significant enhancement of the current values at the topological insulator/metallic contact interface and moreover a dipole-like distribution of the spin-polarized current close to the contacts. We discuss the general behavior of the thermovoltage as a three-material Seebeck effect and explain the enhanced values by the acceleration of the photoelectrons generated in the space charge region of the topological insulator/metallic contact interface. Furthermore, we interpret the temperature gradient together with the spin Nernst effect as a possible origin for the enhancement and dipole-like distribution of the spin-polarized current., Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures

3D micropillars generated by photolithography are used as a platform to probe by atomic force microscopy the mechanodynamics of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. 3D micropillars guide subcellular cytoskeletal modifications of cardiomyocytes and lead to biochemical changes altering beating rate, stiffness, and calcium dynamics of the cells.

Circular photogalvanic currents are a promising approach for spin-optoelectronics. To date, such currents have been induced in topological insulator flakes or extended films. It is not clear whether they can be generated in nanodevices. In this paper, we demonstrate the generation of circular photogalvanic currents in Bi 2 Se 3 nanowires. Each nanowire shows topological surface states. Here, we generate and distinguish the different photocurrent contributions via the driving light wave. We separate the circular photogalvanic currents from those due to thermal Seebeck effects through controlling laser light polarization. The results reveal a spin-polarized surface-Dirac electron flow in the nanowires arising from spin-momentum locking and spin–orbit effects. The second photocurrent contribution described in this Letter is caused by the thermal Seebeck effect. By scanning the photocurrent, it can be spatially resolved; upon reversing the gradient direction along the nanowire, the photocurrent changes its sign, and close to the gold contacts, the amplitudes of the different photocurrent contributions are affected by the proximity to the contacts. In the center of the nanowires, where the effects from the gold contact/topological insulator stacks vanish, the spin-polarized current remains constant along the nanowires. This allows the all-optical spin current generation in topological insulator nanowires and hybrid structures on the nanoscale, one goal of spin-orbitronics.

Identifying materials with an efficient spin-to-charge conversion is crucial for future spintronic applications. In this respect, the spin Hall effect is a central mechanism as it allows for the interconversion of spin and charge currents. Spintronic material research aims at maximizing its efficiency, quantified by the spin Hall angle and the spin-current relaxation length . We develop an all-optical contact-free method with large sample throughput that allows us to extract and . Employing terahertz spectroscopy and an analytical model, magnetic metallic heterostructures involving Pt, W and Cu80Ir20 are characterized in terms of their optical and spintronic properties. The validity of our analytical model is confirmed by the good agreement with literature DC values. For the samples considered here, we find indications that the interface plays a minor role for the spin-current transmission. Our findings establish terahertz emission spectroscopy as a reliable tool complementing the spintronics workbench., Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 51 (36), ISSN:0022-3727, ISSN:1361-6463

Understanding the transfer of spin angular momentum is essential in modern magnetism research. A model case is the generation of magnons in magnetic insulators by heating an adjacent metal film. Here, we reveal the initial steps of this spin Seebeck effect with, 14 pages, 5 figures

In general, it is difficult to access the thermal conductivity of thin insulating films experimentally just by electrical means. Here, we present a new approach utilizing the tunnel magneto-Seebeck effect (TMS) in combination with finite-element modeling (FEM). We detect the laser-induced TMS and the absolute thermovoltage of laser-heated magnetic tunnel junctions with 2.6 nm thin barriers of MgAl$_2$O$_4$ (MAO) and MgO, respectively. A second measurement of the absolute thermovoltage after a dielectric breakdown of the barrier grants insight into the remaining thermovoltage of the stack. Thus, the pure TMS without any parasitic Nernst contributions from the leads can be identified. In combination with FEM via COMSOL, we are able to extract values for the thermal conductivity of MAO ($0.7$ W/(K$\cdot$m)) and MgO ($5.8$ W/(K$\cdot$m)), which are in very good agreement with theoretical predictions. Our method provides a new promising way to extract the experimentally challenging parameter of the thermal conductivity of thin insulating films.

We investigate the influence of the barrier thickness of ${\mathrm{Co}}_{40}{\mathrm{Fe}}_{40}{\mathrm{B}}_{20}$-based magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) on the laser-induced tunnel magneto-Seebeck (TMS) effect. Varying the barrier thickness from 1 to 3 nm, we find a distinct maximum in the TMS effect for a 2.6-nm barrier thickness. This maximum is measured independently for two barrier materials, namely, ${\mathrm{MgAl}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ (MAO) and MgO. Additionally, samples with a MAO barrier exhibit a high thermovoltage of more than $350\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{V}$ in comparison to $90\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{V}$ for the MTJs with a MgO barrier when heated with the maximum laser power of 150 mW. Our results allow for the fabrication of improved stacks when dealing with temperature differences across MTJs for future applications in spin caloritronics, the emerging research field that combines spintronics and thermoelectrics.

An efficient way for minimizing phonon thermal conductivity in solids is to nanostructure them by means of reduced phonon mean free path, phonon scattering and phonon reflection at interfaces. A sophisticated approach toward this lies in the fabrication of thin multilayer films of different materials. In this paper, we show by femtosecond-pump-probe reflectivity measurements that in different multilayer systems with varying acoustic mismatch (consisting of metals, semiconductors, oxides and polymers), oscillations due to phonon localization can be observed. For the growth of multilayer films with well-defined layer thicknesses, we used magnetron sputtering, evaporation and pulsed laser deposition. By altering the material combinations and reducing the layer thicknesses down to 3 nm, we observed different mechanisms of phonon blocking, reaching in the frequency regime up to 360 GHz.

Gold nanorods (AuNRs) have attracted considerable attention in plasmonic photothermal therapy for cancer treatment by exploiting their selective and localized heating effect due to their unique photophysical properties. Here we describe a strategy to design a novel multifunctional platform based on AuNRs to: (i) specifically target the adenocarcinoma MUC-1 marker through the use of the EPPT-1 peptide, (ii) enhance cellular uptake through a myristoylated polyarginine peptide (MPAP) and (iii) selectively induce cell death by ultra-short near infrared laser pulses. We used a biotin–avidin based approach to conjugate EPPT-1 and MPAP to AuNRs. Dual-peptide (EPPT-1 + MPAP) labelled AuNRs showed a significantly higher uptake by pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells when compared to their single peptide or avidin conjugated counterparts. In addition, we selectively induced cell death by ultra-short near infrared laser pulses in small target volumes (∼1 μm3), through the creation of plasmonic nanobubbles that lead to the destruction of a local cell environment. Our approach opens new avenues for conjugation of multiple ligands on AuNRs targeting cancer cells and tumors and it is relevant for plasmonic photothermal therapy.

Spin caloritronics studies the interplay between charge-, heat- and spin-currents, which are initiated by temperature gradients in magnetic nanostructures. A plethora of new phenomena has been discovered that promises, e.g., to make wasted heat in electronic devices useable or to provide new read-out mechanisms for information. However, only few materials have been studied so far with Seebeck voltages of only some {\mu}V, which hampers applications. Here, we demonstrate that half-metallic Heusler compounds are hot candidates for enhancing spin-dependent thermoelectric effects. This becomes evident when considering the asymmetry of the spin-split density of electronic states around the Fermi level that determines the spin-dependent thermoelectric transport in magnetic tunnel junctions. We identify Co$_2$FeAl and Co$_2$FeSi Heusler compounds as ideal due to their energy gaps in the minority density of states, and demonstrate devices with substantially larger Seebeck voltages and tunnel magneto-Seebeck effect ratios than the commonly used Co-Fe-B based junctions., Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures

Ultrafast magnetization manipulation by ultrafast lasers is an indispensable tool for both basic and applied research, with many surprises since the field was started twenty years ago [1]. The dynamics of the response depends on the energy transfer from the laser excited electrons to the spins within the first femtoseconds. This determines the speed of the ultrafast magnetization. A special material of interest for magnetic storage are FePt nanoparticles (Fig. 1 (a)). In a seminal experiment, all optical writing via the laser pulse helicity using a femtosecond laser pulse was demonstrated for FePt in a magnetic hard disc media by Lambert et al. in Science 2014 [2]. Completely surprisingly, the mechanism remained unclear and it opened many questions about the extension of possibilities of all optical writing as a general mechanism. I will review these recent developments that may lead to address an individual nanosized magnetic element in the far future all optically, for writing magnetic memory and memory storage [3].

Spin currents offer a way to control static and dynamic magnetic properties, and therefore they are crucial for next-generation MRAM devices or spin-torque oscillators.

Magnetization manipulation is an indispensable tool for both basic and applied research [1].

Magnetic topological defects, including vortices and Skyrmions, can be stabilized as equilibrium structures by tuning intrinsic magnetic interactions and stray field geometries. Here, employing rapid quench conditions, we report the observation of a light-induced metastable magnetic texture, which consists of a dense nanoscale network of vortices and antivortices and exhibits glass-like properties. Our results highlight the emergence of complex ordering regimes in optically driven magnetic systems, opening up new pathways to harness ultrafast far-from-equilibrium relaxation processes.

The discovery of the ultrafast magnetization dynamics twenty years ago has led to a broad variety of experimental techniques to explore phenomena in magnetic materials with high temporal resolution. In the present article we present a study dealing with broadband excitation of spin-wave packets at different magnonic crystal continuous magnetic film interfaces. Similar to protected conducting states on the surfaces of topological band insulators, these interfaces exhibit surface spin-wave modes that propagate out of the crystal into the continuous film. The propagation distance depends on the direction of the applied magnetic field as well as the surface geometry of the crystal., 10 pages, 3 figures

Manipulation of magnetisation with ultrashort laser pulses is promising for information storage device applications. The dynamics of the magnetisation response depends on the energy transfer from the photons to the spins during the initial laser excitation. A material of special interest for magnetic storage are FePt nanoparticles, for which switching of the magnetisation with optical angular momentum was demonstrated recently. The mechanism remained unclear. Here we investigate experimentally and theoretically the all-optical switching of FePt nanoparticles. We show that the magnetisation switching is a stochastic process. We develop a complete multiscale model which allows us to optimize the number of laser shots needed to switch the magnetisation of high anisotropy FePt nanoparticles in our experiments. We conclude that only angular momentum induced optically by the inverse Faraday effect will provide switching with one single femtosecond laser pulse., This work was supported by the EC under Contract No. 281043, FemtoSpin. The work at Greifswald University was supported by the German research foundation (DFG), projects MU MU 1780/8-1, MU 1780/10-1. Research at Göttingen University was supported via SFB 1073, Projects A2 and B1. Research at Uppsala University was supported by the Swedish Research Council (VR), the Röntgen-Ångström Cluster, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (Contract No. 2015.0060), and Swedish National Infrastructure for Computing (SNIC). Research at Kiel University was supported by the DFG, projects MC 9/9-2, MC 9/10-2. P.N. acknowledges support from EU Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020) under Grant Agreement No. 686056, NOVAMAG. The work in Konstanz was supported via the Center for Applied Photonics.

We present a study of the tunnel magneto-Seebeck (TMS) effect in MgO based magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs). The electrodes consist of CoFeB with in-plane magnetic anisotropy. The temperature gradients which generate a voltage across the MTJs layer stack are created using laser heating. Using this method, the temperature can be controlled on the micrometer length scale: here, we investigate, how both, the TMS voltage and the TMS effect, depend on the size, position and intensity of the applied laser spot. For this study, a large variety of different temperature distributions was created across the junction. We recorded two-dimensional maps of voltages generated by heating in dependence of the laser spot position and the corresponding calculated TMS values. The voltages change in value and sign, from large positive values when heating the MTJ directly in the centre to small values when heating the junction on the edges and even small negative values when heating the sample away from the junction. Those zero crossings lead to very high calculated TMS ratios. Our systematic analysis shows, that the distribution of the temperature gradient is essential, to achieve high voltage signals and reasonable resulting TMS ratios. Furthermore, artefacts on the edges produce misleading results, but also open up further possibilities of more complex heating scenarios for spincaloritronics in spintronic devices., 12 pages, 6 figures

We discuss fundamental aspects of laser-induced ultrafast demagnetization probed by the time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE). Studying thin Fe films on MgO substrate in the absence of electronic transport, we demonstrate how to disentangle pump-induced variations of magnetization and magneto-optical coefficients. We provide a mathematical formalism for retrieving genuine laser-induced magnetization dynamics and discuss its applicability in real experimental situations. We further stress the importance of temporal resolution achieved in the experiments and argue that measurements of both time-resolved MOKE rotation and ellipticity are needed for the correct assessment of magnetization dynamics on sub-picosecond timescales. The framework developed here sheds light onto the details of the time-resolved MOKE technique and contributes to the understanding of the interplay between ultrafast laser-induced optical and magnetic effects.

While modern day integrated electronic circuits are essentially designed in a 2D fashion, the brain can be regarded as a 3D circuit. The thus enhanced connectivity enables much more complex signal processing as compared to conventional 2D circuits. Recent technological advances in the development of nano/microscale 3D structuring have led to the development of artificial neuron culturing platforms, which surpass the possibilities of classical 2D cultures. In this work, in vitro culturing of neuronal networks is demonstrated by determining predefined pathways through topological and chemical neurite guiding. Tailor-made culturing substrates of microtowers and freestanding microtubes are fabricated using direct laser writing by two-photon polymerization. The first scaffold design that allows for site-specific cell attachment and directed outgrowth of single neurites along defined paths that can be arranged freely in all dimensions, to build neuronal networks with low cell density, is presented. The neurons cultured in the scaffolds show characteristic electrophysiological properties of vital cells after 10 d in vitro. The introduced scaffold design offers a promising concept for future complex neuronal network studies on defined neuronal circuits with tailor-made design specific neurite connections beyond 2D.