Ultrashort spin–orbit torque generated by femtosecond laser pulses

0566596 - FZÚ 2023 RIV DE eng J - Journal Article
Janda, T. - Ostatnický, T. - Němec, P. - Schmoranzerová, E. - Campion, R. - Hills, V. - Novák, Vít - Šobáň, Zbyněk - Wunderlich, Joerg
Ultrashort spin–orbit torque generated by femtosecond laser pulses.
Scientific Reports. Roč. 12, č. 1 (2022), č. článku 21550. ISSN 2045-2322. E-ISSN 2045-2322
R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GX19-28375X
EU Projects: European Commission(XE) 766566 - ASPIN
Grant - others:European Cooperation in Science and Technology(XE) COST Action CA17123
Research Infrastructure: CzechNanoLab - 90110
Institutional support: RVO:68378271
Keywords : spintronics * ultra-high frequency electronic device * spin–orbit interaction * p-i-n photodiode
OECD category: Condensed matter physics (including formerly solid state physics, supercond.)
Impact factor: 4.6, year: 2022
Method of publishing: Open access

To realize the very objective of spintronics, namely the development of ultra-high frequency and energy-efficient electronic devices, an ultrafast and scalable approach to switch magnetic bits is required. Magnetization switching with spin currents generated by the spin–orbit interaction at ferromagnetic/non-magnetic interfaces is one of such scalable approaches, where the ultimate switching speed is limited by the Larmor precession frequency. Understanding the magnetization precession dynamics induced by spin–orbit torques (SOTs) is therefore of great importance. Here we demonstrate generation of ultrashort SOT pulses that excite Larmor precession at an epitaxial Fe/GaAs interface by converting femtosecond laser pulses into high-amplitude current pulses in an electrically biased p-i-n photodiode. We control the polarity, amplitude, and duration of the current pulses and, most importantly, also their propagation direction with respect to the crystal orientation.
Permanent Link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0337934