Atomistic spin model of single pulse toggle switching in Mn$_2$Ru$_x$Ga Heusler alloys

Single femtosecond pulse toggle switching of ferrimagnetic alloys is an essential building block for ultrafast spintronics. Very different element-specific demagnetization dynamics is believed to be a hard limit for switching in ferrimagnets. This suggests that ferrimagnets composed of two ions of different nature, such as rare earth transition metal alloys, are necessary for switching. However, experimental observation of toggle switching in Mn$_2$Ru$_x$Ga Heusler alloys, has contested this limit since Mn ions are of the same nature. To shed some light into this question, we present an atomistic spin model for the simulation of single pulse toggle switching of Mn$_2$Ru$_x$Ga. The magnetic parameters entering in our model are extracted from previous experimental observations. We show that our model is able to quantitatively reproduce measured magnetization dynamics of single pulse toggle switching. We demonstrate that differently to previous understanding toggle switching in Mn$_2$Ru$_x$Ga is possible even when both Mn sublattices demagnetization at very similar rate.
Comment: Submitted to Appl. Phys. Lett. Special Topic: 'Ultrafast and THz spintronics'