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Magnetically-driven ferroelectric atomic displacements of the order of 10$^{-3} Angstrom have been observed in orthorhombic (perovskite like) YMnO$_3$ by a single-crystal synchrotron x-ray diffraction. The refined polar structure shows the characteristic bond alternation driven by the exchange striction in staggered Mn-O-Mn arrays with $\uparrow\uparrow\downarrow\downarrow$ type ordering, giving rise to a spontaneous polarization along a-axis. First-principles calculations based on the Berry phase method as well as on the experimentally refined crystal structure can reproduce the observed polarization value., Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, 2 tables

Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy was performed to directly probe the low-energy (1-5 meV) electrodynamics of triangular lattice antiferromagnets CuFe1-xGaxO2 (x = 0.00, 0.01, and 0.035). We discovered an electromagnon (electric-field-active magnon) excitation at 2.3 meV in the paraelectric up-up-down-down collinear magnetic phase, while this electromagnon vanishes in the ferroelectric helimagnetic phase. Anti-correlation with noncollinear magnetism excludes the exchange-striction mechanism as the origin of dynamical magnetoelectric coupling, and hence evidences the observation of spin-orbit coupling mediated electromagnon in the present compound., Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures. Accepted in Physical Review Letters

We have investigated electrically-active magnetic excitations (electromagnons) in perovskite manganites with the $E$-type (up-up-down-down) spin structure by terahertz spectroscopy. Eu$_{1-x}$Y$_x$MnO$_3$ (0.1$\le x\le$1) and Y$_{1-y}$Lu$_y$MnO$_3$ (0$\le y\le$1) without magnetic $f$-moments, which host collinear sinusoidal, $A$-type, cycloidal, and $E$-type spin orders, are used to examine the systematics of possible electromagnons. Three-peak structures (23, 35, 45 cm$^{-1}$) of magnetic origin show up in the $E$-type phase with little composition ($y$) dependence of frequencies, making a contrast with the electromagnons observed in the cycloidal-spin ($x\le0.8$) phases. One of these electromagnon is ascribed to the zone-edge magnon mode based on the calculated magnon dispersions., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures

Recent spectroscopic studies at terahertz frequencies for a variety of multiferroics endowed with both ferroelectric and magnetic orders have revealed the possible emergence of a new collective excitation, frequently referred to as electromagnon. It is magnetic origin, but becomes active in response to the electric field component of light. Here we give an overview on our recent advance in the terahertz time-domain spectroscopy of electromagnons or electric-dipole active magnetic resonances, focused on perovskite manganites--$R$MnO$_3$ ($R$ denotes rare-earth ions). The respective electric and magnetic contributions to the observed magnetic resonance are firmly identified by the measurements of the light-polarization dependence using a complete set of the crystal orientations. We extract general optical features in a variety of the spin ordered phases, including the $A$-type antiferromagnetic, collinear spin ordered, and ferroelectric $bc$ and $ab$ spiral spin ordered phases, which are realized by tuning the chemical composition of $R$, temperature, and external magnetic field. In addition to the antiferromagnetic resonances of Mn ions driven by the magnetic field component of light, we clarify that the electromagnon appears only for light polarized along the a-axis even in the collinear spin ordered phase and grows in intensity with evolution of the spiral spin order, but independent of the direction of the spiral spin plane ($bc$ or $ab$) or equivalently the direction of the ferroelectric polarization $P_{\rm s}$ ($P_{\rm s}\| c$ or $P_{\rm s}\| a$). A possible origin of the observed magnetic resonances at terahertz frequencies is discussed by comparing the systematic experimental data presented here with theoretical considerations based on Heisenberg model., Comment: 19 pages including 15 figures and 2 tables; Invited Paper in Special Issue on Terahertz Wave Photonics in J. Opt. Soc. Am. B (Accepted for publication)

A broad continuum-like spin excitation (1--10 meV) with a peak structure around 2.4 meV has been observed in the ferroelectric $ab$ spiral spin phase of Gd$_{0.7}$Tb$_{0.3}$MnO$_3$ by using terahertz (THz) time-domain spectroscopy. Based on a complete set of light-polarization measurements, we identify the spin excitation active for the light $E$ vector only along the a-axis, which grows in intensity with lowering temperature even from above the magnetic ordering temperature but disappears upon the transition to the $A$-type antiferromagnetic phase. Such an electric-dipole active spin excitation as observed at THz frequencies can be ascribed to the two-magnon excitation in terms of the unique polarization selection rule in a variety of the magnetically ordered phases., Comment: 11 pages including 3 figures

Temperature (5--250 K) and magnetic field (0--70 kOe) variations of the low-energy (1--10 meV) electrodynamics of spin excitations have been investigated for a complete set of light-polarization configurations for a ferroelectric magnet DyMnO$_3$ by using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy. We identify the pronounced absorption continuum (1--8 meV) with a peak feature around 2 meV, which is electric-dipole active only for the light $E$-vector along the a-axis. This absorption band grows in intensity with lowering temperature from the spin-collinear paraelectric phase above the ferroelectric transition, but is independent of the orientation of spiral spin plane ($bc$ or $ab$), as shown on the original $P_{\rm s}$ (ferroelectric polarization) $\parallel c$ phase as well as the magnetic field induced $P_{\rm s}\parallel a$ phase. The possible origin of this electric-dipole active band is argued in terms of the large fluctuations of spins and spin-current., Comment: New version, 11 pages including colored 8 figures

Using time-resolved $1s$-$2p$ excitonic Lyman spectroscopy, we study the orthoexciton-to-paraexcitons transfer, following the creation of a high density population of ultracold $1s$ orthoexcitons by resonant two-photon excitation with femtosecond pulses. An observed fast exciton-density dependent conversion rate is attributed to spin exchange between pairs of orthoexcitons. Implication of these results on the feasibility of BEC of paraexcitons in Cu$_2$O is discussed.

Time-resolved transmittance measurements performed on Ga$_{0.94}$Mn$_{0.06}$As in the vicinity of the Mn-induced mid-infrared absorption band are presented. Upon photo-excitation, a slow increase (hundreds of ps timescale) of the differential transmittance is observed and found to be directly related to demagnetization. The temporal profiles of the transmittance and of the demagnetization measured by time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr spectroscopy are found to coincide. Well below the Curie temperature, the maximum amplitude of the slow component of the differential transmittance as a function of the probe energy is on the rising edge of the linear absorption peak, suggesting that ferromagnetic ordering can be explained by a coupling of the Mn local spins through bound magnetic polarons.

The dynamics of magnetization under femtosecond optical excitation is studied in a ferromagnetic semiconductor Ga_{0.94}Mn_{0.06}As with a time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect measurement with two color probe beams. The transient reflectivity change indicates the rapid rise of the carrier temperature and relaxation to a quasi-thermal equilibrium within 1 ps, while a very slow rise of the spin temperature of the order of 500ps is observed. This anomalous behavior originates from the thermal isolation between the charge and spin systems due to the spin polarization of carriers (holes) contributing to ferromagnetism. This constitutes experimental proof of the half-metallic nature of ferromagnetic Ga_{0.94}Mn_{0.06}As arising from double exchange type mechanism originates from the d-band character of holes.